APRIORA Recognised as an Action under the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters”
The Interreg Baltic Sea Region project APRIORA, involving researchers from the Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology, has been officially recognised as a Mission Charter Action under the European Union Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030”. This recognition highlights the project’s contribution to protecting marine and freshwater ecosystems, reducing water pollution, and promoting data-driven water management. The EU Mission aims to protect and restore Europe’s oceans, seas and inland waters by 2030.
One of the major challenges facing aquatic environments is the release of pharmaceutically active substances and other micropollutants into the environment through treated wastewater. Conventional wastewater treatment technologies are not always able to remove these substances completely, allowing them to enter rivers, lakes and the Baltic Sea.
The APRIORA project is developing an approach that combines pollution monitoring, modelling and multifactor risk assessment. The project has also developed an open-access geographic information system tool that makes it possible to visualise pollution data, produce regional maps of potential risks, and support the risk-based prioritisation of wastewater treatment plants. This helps identify the facilities where upgrades are most urgently needed. The approach is being tested in five river catchment areas in Finland, Germany, Latvia, Poland and Sweden.
The Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology is responsible for coordinating assessments of environmental, antimicrobial resistance and human health risks within the project. In cooperation with specialists from the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre (LEGMC), LIAE researchers are also participating in the Latvian pilot study, which focuses on pollution caused by pharmaceutically active substances, its modelling, and the identification of areas where pollution risks may be highest.
An important part of the project is transferring the knowledge acquired to environmental authorities and representatives of the water management sector. Recognition as an EU Mission Charter Action increases the visibility of APRIORA’s results at the European level and strengthens the project’s profile within the broader community of organisations and initiatives working together to restore aquatic ecosystems and reduce pollution.
The project’s results and opportunities for their further application will be discussed at the APRIORA Final Conference, which will take place in Helsinki, Finland, on 14–15 September 2026.
The APRIORA project is being implemented from November 2023 to October 2026 with the support of the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme. The project is led by the University of Rostock.