This year's Special Conference is going to discuss the Consequences of the eutrophication of the Baltic Sea. This topic shall stress our efforts to investigate regional challenges in a globalized world. And even though it might not be obvious that this affects countries other than those bordering the Baltic Sea, we hope that throughout the conference the importance of this rather narrow focus will prove that the results can be used as models for other regions. Your dedicated chairs will make sure that the Special Conference will be an interesting and unique experience.

Below, we have collected information (mostly key points) to help you with your personal preparations. We are sorry that we were not able to upload it earlier. Most facts have been found in “Assessment of Climate Change for the Baltic Sea Basin” (The BACC Author Team, Springer, 2008). Others were taken from Wikipedia or our own knowledge.

First of all, let us think about our topic. What does eutrophication mean? Is it directly linked to global warming? How does it affect the Baltic ecosystems? What are the consequences regarding economic and social matters? What would happen if nations start to pour nutrients into the oceans in order to grow more algae which could absorb carbon dioxide by photosynthesis? Have we forgotten other effects?

Eutrophication

"Eutrophication is an increase in the concentration of chemical nutrients in an ecosystem to an extent that increases the primary productivity of the ecosystem." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutrophication) Please consider point 4 (ecological effects) as well.

• "Eutrophication is a phenomenon of the recent past; still it has been documented to change the biota. Several monitoring programmes have been targeted to follow it since the 1970s, mainly because it poses a direct threat to health (toxic algal blooms) and biota (anoxic bottoms develop hydrogen sulphide). Changes of phytoplankton biomass and species composition reflect eutrophication and climatic changes simultaneously.
• Climatic factors may have a higher impact on cyanobacteria bloom variability than eutrophication."

         (from: BALTEX Assessment of Climate Change in the Baltic Sea Basin (BACC))

Socio-economic consequences

• Eutrophication may particularly affect tourism, the fishing industry, bio-diversity, and public health.
• "Eutrophication is expected to enhance the production and biodiversity in the ecosystem up to a certain point, after which a collapse will appear due to several mechanisms such as chemical (anoxia) and biotic interactions (competition, predation, exploitation). After this, a new ecological balance will develop, which will be characterized by low biodiversity and high variability due to episodic outbursts of dominant species. Some effects of eutrophication are clear and predictable, such as the general increase of primary production, but other effects, such as species-specific interactions are extremely hard to predict because of the nonlinearity and complexity of the marine ecosystem.
• If ongoing eutrophication is enhanced e.g. by stronger weathering and elution of nutrients by precipitation or by increased anoxic conditions in deep water, a higher phytoplankton biomass and frequent blooms may be expected. As some of the blooms are toxic, they have strong impact on fisheries and fish farming. Inherently, blooms decrease the recreational value of the sea and therefore affect tourism (see also Annex 3.1.3.2), which is of high economic value (Wasmund 2002). Changes in the timing of the blooms and in species composition disturb the existing food web, provoking changes in the higher trophic levels."

         (from: BALTEX Assessment of Climate Change in the Baltic Sea Basin (BACC))

Climate change and the Baltic Sea:

• "(IPCC) defines climate change broadly as "any change in climate over time whether due to natural variability or as a result of human activity".
• In contrast United Nation’s Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) defines climate change as "a change of climate that is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere, and that is in addition to natural climate variability over comparable time periods".
• The Baltic Sea is one of the largest brackish seas in the world. It is a semi-enclosed basin with a total area of 415,000km² and a volume of 21,700km³."

         (from: BALTEX Assessment of Climate Change in the Baltic Sea Basin (BACC))

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_Sea

http://www.helcom.fi/

http://www.io-warnemuende.de/

http://www.balticeconomicforum.com/

http://eu.baltic.net/

Dear Delegates, 

my name is Lisa Godomski, I am 20 years old and I live currently in Stralsund. I study there at the university and I will major in business and management.

This year I will be your Chair of the Special Conference at BALMUN 2010. I have already participated in BALMUN 2008 and 2009 as the Housing Coordinator and the Deputy Secretary General. Moreover I have participated in OLMUN 2008 and BerMUN 2009 as a Delegate.

Please come prepared to the conference in order to have fruitful debates. Further details for the preparation you can find on our homepage.

I am looking forward to see you all in June. 

Kind regards,
Lisa Godomski

Dear Delegates,

my name is Christof Mehlstäubler, am currently 18 years young, and I will be one of your chairs for the coming BALMUN 2010 Special Conference. I currently live in Berlin, having done the International Baccalaureate, however not to my expectations hence must go back for a year this time in Lancaster, England!

I have already taken part in many debates in school, and some of you may know me from BerMUN 2 2009, and BerMUN 2009, where I represented the USA and a handful perhaps from the NemasMUN Conference 2009, where I chaired the General Assembly.

I'm expecting everyone to be well informed beforehand on what we are debating in order to have a well rounded and interesting debate.

Regards,

Christof Mehlstäubler