Home
Executive Summary
Background
Make your own book

RESULTS AND OUTCOMES
Achievements of the IIIB North Sea Programme
Projects 2000-2006
THEME 4 Using the Environment Responsibly
SPARC
ERE
CREST
Chain of Safety
TEN 3
ProBioEnergy
BurVal
POWER
NORIS
Save the North Sea (SNS)
Making Waste Work
The Partnership
Water4all
WSF
NOLIMP
NO REGRET
WaterCost
WE
FSII

The North Sea Region has many valuable natural resources, which are increasingly under pressure by human activities. It is widely accepted that environmental capital needs to be managed responsibly: economic development should not be promoted at the expense of the environment. Sustainable development and the responsible management of the natural resources of the region belong at the core of the Programme. Promoting the sustainable management of natural resources and assets of the region, the development of renewable energies, integrated coastal zone management and the sustainable management of natural marine resources and protection of the North Sea itself are all at the core of the Programme.

Another important issue for the region, and a means of protecting, rehabilitating and developing natural landscapes, was to find regional solutions for the implementation of ecological networks, such as Natura 2000. Special attention was paid to links and corridors between valuable natural areas. Protection measures were harmonised with spatial development strategies, resulting in active cross-border networks for nature preservation.

The Programme aimed to assist the region to become less dependent on fossil fuels by promoting and developing alternative, renewable energy sources such as wind, water, tides, hydrogen or sun. In this context, the use of waste for energy production played an important role.

Many projects funded by the Programme included an active environmental dimension and were based on the need to improve the environment and to protect the region`s natural beauty and wildlife. The improvement of water quality; management of drinking water as well as waste water; preservation of biodiversity and valuable natural areas; reduction in the amount of waste produced and the damage it causes; experimentation with renewable energy sources and agreements on how to manage the vulnerable North Sea coastline were just some of the issues addressed.

In many cases, such activities created new business development opportunities and contributed to the sustainable economic development of the North Sea Region.


   Key features              Main achievements and outcomes
Innovative management of drinking water and sewage
Common framework for categorising measures for groundwater protection
Cost-effectiveness and sustainability of groundwater management
Improve the availability of fresh water
Sustainable strategies for ancient groundwater reservoirs
Management along water corridors connecting wetlands, cities and the sea
Innovative technique to separate drain and rain water from the sewer system
Renewable energy sources
integrated management and development plan for the common landscape and cultural heritage in the Wadden Sea Region
protection and restoration of cultural, natural and historical landscapes and townscapes
combined maritime heritage with regional and national planning spatial planning strategies
bringing together spatial planners and maritime heritage practitioners
reconstruction of historic maritime heritage sites

Sustainable economic development
best practice in the maintenance and improvement of rural landscapes
public – private model for agricultural products
sustainable development of national parks
economic impact on rural development and and out of season activity
accessibility of tourist attractions by developing public transport
waterways as a catalyst for the regeneration of urban and rural areas
yachting links between canals across the North Sea
classification of a recreational waterway network in the North Sea Region

Read more...


Wind energy as sustainable energy resource (Power project)
The North Sea
Region Programme Secretariat
Jernbanegade 22, DK-8800 Viborg, DENMARK
Tel.: +45 8728 8070 | Fax: +45 8660 1680
Developed / Hosted by Apogee Information Systems
Copyright © North Sea Region Programme 2009. Legal Notice