What problems will the projects tackle?
Across the Baltic and North Sea region, pollution and excess nutrients affect rivers, lakes and coastal waters, marine habitats are under pressure, and fisheries, energy production, recreation and nature protection compete for space. The funded projects respond with solutions close to people’s everyday lives, here are some of the examples:
- PFAS in the River Vantaa: a project in the Helsinki area will map pollution hotspots and test treatment options.
- Toxic algae at a Belgian lake: a nature-based approach will be tested against recurring cyanobacterial blooms that limit use of the lake.
- Circular ideas: discarded mussel shells for restoring mussel reefs, and algae and reeds washed ashore turned into compost and soil improvers instead of waste.
- Healthier lakes and local food: using underused fish resources to improve lake health and create new local food opportunities.
Other projects look at how ports can prepare for alternative fuels and electrification, how cities can reduce microplastics, how shipping can move towards ending harmful discharges, how fisheries can be managed with whole ecosystems in mind, and how island communities can benefit from offshore wind.
Two types of projects: local action and long-term change
Eight of the projects are Community-Led Actions, which test and demonstrate solutions in real settings together with local communities and stakeholders. The other eleven are Transition Agendas, which build the knowledge, partnerships, governance approaches and roadmaps needed for change that lasts beyond a single project. The results, tools and approaches are meant to be shared and replicated across the region, in support of the EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030.
How the projects were chosen
The first BlueActionBANOS open calls closed in May 2026 with 222 proposals: 161 for Community-Led Actions and 61 for Transition Agendas. Internal and external experts evaluated them, and 19 were selected. You can read about the response in our earlier news item on the 222 proposals.
See all 19 funded projects
Descriptions, partnerships and expected results for every project are on the BlueActionBANOS website: See the funded projects.
