Ecologist: The Black Sea is highly vulnerable and requires better coordination and maritime literacy

The Black Sea is extremely vulnerable due to both natural and anthropogenic factors, which makes better coordination between the individual institutions and the expansion of knowledge of this water body crucial. This was pointed out to BTA by ecologist from the "Green Balkans" association, Dimitar Popov, on the occasion of the creation of the Coordination Unit "Policies for the Sea" in the Ministry of Environment and Water (MOEW). A few days earlier, "Green Balkans" also presented a "White Book" – a specialized report dedicated to marine ecological literacy.

The Ministry of Environment announced that among the specific tasks of the new Coordination Unit "Policies for the Sea" are supporting the implementation of Bulgaria's commitments under the Convention for the Protection of the Black Sea, organizing and coordinating the monitoring of marine waters, participating in joint inspections and other activities. The main focus of the unit is related to the management of information and data on marine waters, as well as the introduction of scientific achievements and international experience in the practice of monitoring and managing marine resources.

According to Popov, the creation of a specialized structure is a positive step, but it should be kept in mind that in Bulgaria many different institutions are responsible for the Black Sea. "We have a maritime administration, regional inspections for environment and water, a river basin directorate and other bodies," he points out, adding that when a real problem arises, each of these structures seeks a solution independently and a common, coordinated approach is needed.

The ecologist emphasizes that in order to make better decisions for the future of the Black Sea, higher awareness is needed not only among the institutions, but also among society as a whole. That is why the "White Book" report, prepared after consultations, contains specific recommendations. They are addressed not only to the central government, but also to local authorities and non-governmental organizations, Popov clarifies.

According to him, environmental education, including topics related to the sea, should start from an early age, which is why the Ministry of Education and Science should be actively involved in this process. Popov recalls that in some cities, including Burgas, youth centers are functioning, where environmental topics are discussed, including those related to the marine environment.

"The more people know, the more reasoned decisions can be made," the ecologist emphasizes. He adds that it is important to realize that the Black Sea is a semi-enclosed water basin, into which many rivers flow, which further increases its sensitivity to different types of pollution.

Popov also notes that almost 90 percent of the volume of the Black Sea is anoxic water and that the warming of oceans and seas on a global scale has a negative impact on marine ecosystems. According to him, despite the improvements achieved over the years – for example, through the construction of treatment plants – in some cases these facilities turn out to be insufficient to handle the load caused by construction along the coast and the increased number of tourists during the season.

The "White Book" for maritime literacy in the Black Sea region systematizes the main shortcomings in national policies, legislation and initiatives related to maritime and environmental literacy, as well as the necessary steps to overcome them, specify "Green Balkans". The document was prepared within the framework of the project "Environmental Education and Maritime Literacy in the Black Sea Basin", which is co-financed by the European Union under the Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin 2021-2027 program.