Mitigating Marine Eutrophication in the presence of strong societal driving forces

This report, which was commissioned and financed by the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SwAM), is devoted to current and potential future measures to mitigate the eutrophication of marine waters. It is meant to be used as a background report for Swedish actors at the high-level UN Ocean Conference that will convene at the UN Headquarters in New York in June 2017. This Conference aims to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: ´Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development´ and is intended to be the game changer that will reverse the decline in the health of our oceans for the benefit of people, the planet, and prosperity.

This report also aims to serve as a motivator for further actions against marine eutrophication in both Sweden and in other countries, and it brings together both old and new perspectives on measures that can prevent and reduce marine eutrophication. A review of current measures in selected countries is complemented by a presentation of potential new measures that can expand the range of intervention options. Special attention is paid to transformative measures that involve new groups of actors and that take into account relevant societal trends. A set of recommendations for decision-makers in governments, agencies, and commercial enterprises concludes the report.