The aim of the BONUS programme,” says executive director Dr Kaisa Kononen, “is to develop a science basis for better policy-making, designed to secure the sustainability of the ecosystem services of the Baltic Sea and maintain its good environmental status.”

The Joint Baltic Sea Research and Development Programme BONUS is a €100 million joint programme undertaken by all eight EU countries bordering the Baltic Sea with the support of the EU. It was set up to address the Sea's severe environmental challenges, ensure sustainable development and bring together the region's research community to establish a European Research Area. Russia participates in several projects on a self-funded basis.

BONUS has its own legal foundation, a decision of the European Parliament and Council on 22 September 2010 (862/2010/EU) on the basis of Article 185 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.   

BONUS is based in Helsinki, Finland and implemented by a European Economic Interest Grouping (BONUS EEIG). An initial strategic phase started in 2010 to establish the programme's operational frameworks. BONUS became fully operational in October 2012 following the signing of an agreement with the European Commission and will last for at least five years.

A marine alliance

The participating countries have jointly defined research priorities, organised funding for several waves of projects and established a dialogue with the region’s policy-makers. In total, 21 national funding institutions support the programme with funds, which are equally matched by the EU.

BONUS focuses on the sustainable management of the Baltic Sea, which is a crucial asset not just in terms of its environmental significance, but importantly also for many sectors of the region's economy. “Everything that happens in the sea is experienced by the people, the countries and the economies that surround it — particularly so in the case of the Baltic Sea, which is semi-enclosed,” says Kononen. “It’s a common asset.”

Two calls for BONUS project proposals have been concluded and a third call will be published in 2015. The first wave of BONUS projects is already under way. Interesting descriptions of these projects can be found on the BONUS web site.

One of the programme’s main strengths derives from its two-pronged approach: BONUS funds both research and innovation activities that target the challenges facing the Baltic Sea. This work generates both knowledge and solutions to specific problems.

To illustrate, Kononen points to a raft of projects focusing on eutrophication, the phenomenon caused by an excess of nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates. These can tip the ecological balance in an aquatic system, endangering many species of flora and fauna. BONUS funds research dedicated to tackling nutrients from agricultural soils as well as three innovation projects that develop specific related technologies. All BONUS projects are encouraged to communicate and engage with a wide variety of stakeholders.

Charting a course for sustainability

Kononen reports that BONUS has established itself as a respected contributor to policy discussions, alongside important organisations such as the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission HELCOM and the Council of the Baltic Sea States.

The programme’s success reflects how mindsets have changed over the past decades, she notes, adding that there was a time when environmental and economic priorities where viewed as conflicting. “But now,” she says, “we see that the way towards the future is really in sustainable development. We have to support the economy for the benefit of the citizens while making sure that the environment stays in a good status, securing its services for future generations.”