Sustainable development in the Baltic sea region. Governance beyond the nation state

Authors: Kristine Kern and Tina Loffelsend

Type of Publication: Peer review

Abstract
After the end of the Cold War, the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) developed into a highly dynamic area of cross-border cooperation and transnational networking. Three forms of governance beyond the nation state and appropriate case studies are presented here: (1) the Helsinki Convention as an international regime; (2) Baltic 21, the world's first regional Agenda 21, as an international policy network; (3) the Union of the Baltic Cities (UBC) as a transnational network. The achievement of sustainable development in the BSR undoubtedly requires a fruitful combination of national governance and these forms of international and transnational governance. In this respect, international policy networks, such as Baltic 21, and transnational networks, such as the UBC, promise to provide new approaches that can complement international and intergovernmental cooperation between nation states. Furthermore, it must also be taken into account that governance in the BSR will soon become embedded in European governance and lead to the Europeanisation of the Baltic Sea Area.

Reference to the article
Kristine Kern & Tina Loffelsend (2011) Sustainable development in the Baltic sea region. Governance beyond the nation state, Local Environment, 9:5, 451-467,
DOI: 10.1080/1354983042000255351