The South Baltic area features a predominant car-based mobility pattern, with a high reliance on cars and trucks in inter-regional travel. In terms of passenger traffic, one of the reasons behind this is the insufficient quality of public intermodal services when moving across borders.
Similar harmonisation and compatibility challenges occur in the rail/intermodal freight sector. At the same time, the regions need new and more attractive maritime and air passenger services to improve direct connectivity. This requires efforts to attract operators and develop proper framework conditions to increase the attractiveness and sustainability of new and improved lines. Both the north-south freight traffic and the quickly growing east-west freight flows across the area lack sustainable and integrated logistics concepts, harmonised regulations, smart innovation platforms etc. Such transport greening measures help reduce the environmental footprint and improve the logistics efficiency of long-haul supply chains. While excluding large-scale investments in transport infrastructure, Specific Objective 3.1 of the ISBP 2014-2020; Sustainable Transport, focuses on three main challenges:
- Diversified approach to building the SBA’s brand as a leader in eco-and green development. Each region within the SBA has a distinct policy concerning environmental issues. This impedes the opportunities for exploiting the synergy effect resulting from the neighbouring location of the regions and conduction of joint actions for environmental protection and the SBA brand. The challenge is also connected with the need to improve renewable fuels production and distribution as well as building proper infrastructure.
- Poor public transport connection between rural areas and urban centres. There are still needs in terms of internal connections from rural areas to urban centres also taking into consideration the social inclusion of all groups. Developments addressing such needs could have a positive impact on, among others, the structure of the labour market and the structure of settlement developments. Such actions would also represent countermeasures against the present trend of increasing car-based mobility.
- Disparities between transport system of west and east regions. While many infrastructural investments have been made, there are still visible differences in terms of transportation between west and east parts of the SBA, e.g., density of road and rail network, diversification of transport modes, tailored network of connections between rural and urban regions (where the western regions are at an advantage in this regard).
As part of the 4th Seed Money Call of ISBP 2014-2020, three projects have been selected under Specific Objective 3.1; Sustainable Transport, and have the ambition to apply for the new Priority 1 and 2 in the ISBP 2021-2027; Innovative South Baltic and Sustainable South Baltic. They are: Baltic E-ferry, GreenerFlow and HUB (-ing) more than mobility.
- Baltic E-ferry: The objective of the future regular project will be to increase the use of renewable energy in the waterborne transport sector in the South Baltic area. In order to achieve this objective, partner institutions will test and promote the adoption of electric or hybrid systems in ferries and other vessels in coastal waters for shorter journey distances
- GreenerFlow: The objective of the future regular project is to decrease the negative impact of road traffic on the environment by developing methods to detect, assess the impact, and counteract congestion on high volume roads. The project will make the best use of traffic data and modern approaches to recognize traffic flow patterns and analyses the impact of congestion.
- HUB (-ing) more than mobility: The goal of the future regular project is to decrease the negative impact of road traffic on the environment by developing methods to detect, assess the impact, and counteract congestion on high volume roads. The project will make the best use of traffic data and modern approaches to recognize traffic flow patterns and analyses the impact of congestion.
There are five Programme Measures in the ISBP 2021-2027 that constitute Priority 1 and 2; Innovative South Baltic and Sustainable South Baltic.
- Programme Measure 1.1; Digitalisation. The SBA has a significant economic potential, especially in sectors related to the blue and green economy, nevertheless in order to ensure that it is adequately developing towards a knowledge-based and innovative, it still requires to be simulated and supported. Moreover, the digitisation processes are closely related to the digital pillars of the European Commission concerning strengthening solutions in the field of i.e., artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital skills, connectivity, etc. Thus, the actions under this Measure will support the process of achieving the goals defined by the European Commission.
- Programme Measure 1.2; Internationalisation. The economic growth of the SBA requires actions dedicated to the enhancement of SMEs competitiveness, innovativeness, as well as their presence on the international market. Consequently, the expansion of SMEs within and beyond the SBA requires efficient cross-border learning and networking platforms, business advisory services and matchmaking actions to assist them in moving from domestic to international business practices.
- Programme Measure 2,1; Supporting transition towards green energy. It is beyond question that the SBA has enormous potential in terms of the green technology sectors. These sectors may rapidly develop thanks to cooperation between public bodies, SMEs, manufacturing industries and R&D institutions. Furthermore, geographical conditions of the SBA mean that particular regions can use renewable energy sources (especially wind energy and biomass) much more efficiently. While some regions are already increasingly using this type of energy source, cross-border cooperation to raise awareness of the need for developing sustainable energy solutions could further help implementing the energy transitions.
- Programme Measure 2.2; Promoting a sustainable use of water. The Baltic Sea and its tributaries suffer from a high level of pollution and eutrophication. Both are consequences of the unsustainable exploitation of the local environment and water reservoirs. Moreover, climate change consequences will result in enhanced risk of marine and flash floods, producing more intensive fluxes of pollutants into the Baltic Sea. Taking into account that water is the most important resource of the SBA, actions under this Measure are aimed at broad support of efficient and sustainable water management, in order to combat eutrophication and input of hazardous substances and thus enhance the water quality.
- Programme Measure 2.3; Supporting a circular and more resource efficient development. Socio-economic challenges and demographic changes in the SBA such as ageing, depopulation, migrations, and urbanization, influence everyday behaviours and attitudes. They require new solutions to ensure sustainability and prosperity in the region. An overlooked issue and shared challenge among the SB countries is how to establish behaviours and attitudes in support of responsible consumption and production.
