BALTEX: An interdisciplinary environmental research network for the Baltic Sea basin

BALTEX (the Baltic Sea Experiment) is an international research network for the Baltic Sea basin. It was launched in 1992 as a Continental-scale Experiment (CSE) of the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) within the World Climate Research Program (WCRP). The research focus of BALTEX has primarily been on the hydrological cycle and the exchange of energy between the atmosphere and the surface of the Earth (land surface, rivers and lakes, the Baltic Sea and sea ice), as they control and regulate the climate in a fundamental manner. The study region of BALTEX is the Baltic Sea and its catchment region, which constitutes a unique European water basin, creating specific demands on models and scientific concepts.

Among the major accomplishments of BALTEX Phase I (1993-2002) have been the improvement of measuring and data infrastructure and the establishment of coupled atmosphere-land-sea-ice numerical models able to simulate past and future climate in the Baltic Sea basin.

The numerous scientific achievements of BALTEX Phase I have called for application in other areas where knowledge and modelling capabilities of the water and energy cycles in the climate system are fundamental. A Science Plan for BALTEX Phase II (2003-2012) was published in 2004, which defines 6 major objectives including several specific goals with the overall strategy to enlarge the scientific scope of the programme and to contribute to generating also environmental policy- and stakeholder relevant information. The major BALTEX Phase II objectives are:

• Water and energy cycles
• Climate change and variability
• Improving tools for water management
• Air and water quality
• Involvement of stakeholders and decision makers
• Education and outreach