Rich Waters is Sweden’s first integrated project (IP) within the EU’s LIFE Programme. The project started in January 2017 and will be implemented for 7,5 years. The overall goal is to improve the aquatic environment in the Northern Baltic Sea River Basin District.
Rich Waters is a partnership between national authorities, municipalities, companies, researchers and water preservation associations.
The project aims to boost the full implementation of the River Basin Management Plan 2016-2021 of the Northern Baltic Sea District.
This target district hosts one third of Sweden’s population and one of Europe´s fastest growing metropolitan regions. Environmental problems include eutrophication, acidification, and physical changes on the water environment. This occurs as a result of significant nutrient discharge by households and farming, lowered lake systems, and canalised rivers and regulated river basins, physical effects on the banks, and over-exploitation of water resources in the coastal zone.
Specific objectives
The specific objectives of LIFE IP Rich Waters are to:
- Mobilise capacity and resources to implement concrete measures;
- Increase the knowledge among all target groups to make the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan more efficient;
- Stimulate and inspire concrete measures by implementing showcase and high impact measures;
- Reduce the load of nutrients, environmental pollutants and the number of barriers for fish; and
- Improve the capacity for new technology and innovative solutions, to increase cost efficiency.
These objectives will be achieved through implementation of concrete measures, as well as the development of effective policy instruments, capacity building and innovation.
