Governance at the local level: The Turku process

Session: 17. - Great Lakes Outreach and Education

Savitri Jetoo, Abo Akademi University, [email protected]

Abstract

The Baltic Sea has a history of governance from the 1972 Helsinki convention. Governance of the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) is complicated by European Union (EU) directives as all coastal countries are members excepting Russia.  The EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea (EUSBSR), which aims to connect the region,  notably also excludes Russia. In 2013 the horizontal action Neighbours was added to the EUSBSR, with the aim of including of non-EU countries into cooperation in the BSR. It is coordinated by the City of Turku, using the Turku process secretariat and the Stockholm based Council of Baltic Sea States (CBSS) secretariat.  Whilst the Turku process has been an initiative of the cities of Turku, Hamburg and St. Petersburg to promote cooperation in the region and to increase the number of northwest Russian partners in Baltic Sea cooperation, there is little study on the effectiveness of the process. This paper aims to explore  cooperation at the local level, honing in on the lessons of the Turku process. Ultimately, it can inform cities in the Great Lakes region on elements that lead engagement of local actors for more effective and lasting cooperation. 

1. Keyword
environmental policy

2. Keyword
regulations

3. Keyword
policy making

4. Additional Keyword
Governance

5. Additional Keyword
Baltic Sea

6. Additional Keyword
Local Level