Coordination Meeting of the Polish Partners in the D-Effect Project
On July 20, 2026, a meeting of the Polish partners of the D‑Effect project took place in Elbląg. The event was attended by representatives of the partner institutions involved in the project.
The purpose of the meeting was to summarize activities to date and plan the next steps. The current status of the project was presented, and the results of the Roundtable Discussions, along with the conclusions and recommendations for the near future, were discussed.
Particular emphasis was placed on preparations for the Youth Democracy Festivals scheduled for September–November 2026, including the coordination of activities and the division of tasks among partners from Olsztynek, CSE Światowid, Dzierzgoń, and Elbląg. The project’s indicators, the schedule of activities for fall 2026 and the first quarter of 2027, and issues related to the reporting period on the Polish side were also discussed.
Preparations for the OSI closing conference scheduled for March 4–5, 2027, were discussed, and key challenges and project needs were identified. The meeting served to exchange experiences, strengthen cooperation among partners, and establish specific tasks and deadlines for the coming months.
The outcomes of the meeting will form the basis for further actions and project documentation and will be implemented in the subsequent phases of the D‑Effect project.
We invite you to follow the project’s next steps and learn about the project’s results and the methodology of the Youth Democracy Festivals https://eurobalt.org.pl/d-effect-toolbox/ .
Living Lab and NbS Working Group in Wejherowo
On 7 July 2026, a partners’ meeting of the CONE – Co-creating Nature-based Solutions for urban areas project took place in Wejherowo. The event provided an opportunity to review the progress achieved so far, exchange experiences, and discuss the next steps in implementing Nature-based Solutions (NbS).
One of the key elements of the meeting was the Living Lab event – a “living laboratory”, where residents, local authorities, experts, and project partners jointly create and test solutions responding to local challenges.
As part of the Living Lab activities, participants planted vegetation together in the developing rain garden at Śmiechowska Street 8 in Wejherowo – the first NbS pilot implemented within the CONE project.
Not long ago, this area was an undeveloped space where challenges related to rainwater management had been identified. Thanks to the cooperation between the city, residents, and project partners, the site is being transformed into a green space demonstrating how nature-based solutions can support water retention and improve the quality of urban environments.
The rain garden will serve as a demonstration site, allowing Wejherowo residents to see in practice how NbS solutions work and what benefits they can bring to local communities. At the same time, it will represent an example of climate adaptation measures that can be applied in other urban areas.
“This is a pilot site, a so-called Living Lab, which will serve as a demonstration rain garden in Wejherowo. Everyone will be able to visit and see how such a solution works in practice. We hope that more similar initiatives will appear in the city in the future” – representatives of the City of Wejherowo emphasise.
During the event, residents had the opportunity to actively participate in creating the new green space. The joint activities were not only part of the pilot implementation process but also an example of the participatory approach that is one of the key principles of the CONE project.
NbS Working Group – cooperation and planning future activities
The meeting also included an NbS Working Group Meeting. It provided a platform to discuss the further development of nature-based solutions in Wejherowo and cooperation with local stakeholders.
Participants discussed, among others, the involvement of residents and local authorities in future activities, preparation of further pilot actions, and opportunities to use the experience gained during the project implementation. The discussions also focused on the synergistic activities planned within the CONE project for autumn 2026.
The meeting was attended by representatives of APC ERB, the City of Wejherowo, Politechnika Gdańska and invited guests.
Webinar - Sustainability and Business Education: Potential or Paradox?
Join us for a webinar this September!
Sustainability and Business Education: Potential or Paradox?
Can business education effectively contribute to sustainable development? How can we prepare young people to make responsible decisions in a world where economic goals increasingly need to be balanced with environmental and social responsibility?
During this webinar, experts will explore the relationship between education, business, and sustainability, discussing whether these areas reinforce one another or present new challenges and paradoxes. The session will provide an opportunity to gain fresh insights, exchange experiences, and reflect on how education can foster the competencies needed for a more sustainable future.
We warmly invite teachers, educators, representatives of educational institutions, local authorities, and everyone interested in education for sustainable development and responsible business to join us.
We look forward to seeing you online!
NURSECOAST-II Business Models Hub
Seasonal tourism can put significant pressure on coastal wastewater treatment systems – but it can also be a driver of innovation.
The NURSECOAST-II project has just published its Business Models Hub, a practical guide for municipalities, water utilities, investors, and technology providers working on small-scale and decentralised wastewater treatment solutions in tourism-intensive regions across the Baltic Sea area.
The Hub brings together investor guidance, technology provider maps, overviews of funding programmes, and documented stakeholder matchmaking – all focused on small-scale treatment plants serving up to 2,000 population equivalents (PE).
Three key takeaways for decision-makers:
Small wastewater treatment plants need solutions that can tolerate significant fluctuations in load, rather than solutions designed only to perform well under stable design conditions.
Financing needs to be considered alongside technology selection, as the target users are often small municipalities, utilities, or tourism facilities with limited investment capacity.
Replication requires trust-building: project experience has shown that decentralised national and bilateral engagement can be more effective than a single centralised matchmaking event.
SCONE Project: Donation of Computer Equipment to Schools
As part of the SCONE project, co-financed by the Interreg South Baltic 2021–2027 Programme, the Association of Polish Communes Euroregion Baltic provided modern computer equipment to three schools participating in the project:
VI General Secondary School named after the Defenders of Hel in School Complex No. 6 in Gdańsk,
General Władysław Anders Technical Schools Complex in Elbląg,
Kazimierz Jagiellończyk II General Secondary School with Bilingual Classes in Elbląg.
The equipment will support the implementation of project activities by facilitating classes, workshops and teamwork using modern technologies. It will provide students and teachers with improved conditions for developing digital competences and working on solutions related to sustainable development and climate protection.
Launch of the Oceanograf research cruise as part of the Baltwreck project
The BALTWRECK Project — Launch of the Next Phase of Research in the Baltic Sea
Today, aboard the research vessel Oceanograf, the next phase of the research cruise conducted as part of the BaltWreck project began. A team of scientists set sail to study shipwrecks lying on the bottom of the Baltic Sea.
The work focuses on three key sites—the Steuben, the Terra, and the Stuttgart—which are being analyzed for their technical condition and potential impact on the marine environment.
The scope of the research included, among other things, seafloor surveys using sonar, profiling of subsea structures, inspections using ROVs and AUVs, collection of seafloor sediment samples, conducting research fishing, and installing measuring devices in the vicinity of the wrecks.
It is worth noting that the Baltwreck project will also be featured in a science-promotion video produced by the Experyment Science Center in Gdynia. Today, the expedition participants had the opportunity to give interviews to the filmmakers and discuss their work on the project.
Project meeting in Tolkmicko – CONE project
The meeting in Tolkmicko dedicated to the implementation of the CONE project was another step in the preparation of the pilot deployment of Nature-Based Solutions. The discussions focused on the organisation of activities and the subsequent stages of the investment, which is intended to combine environmental, educational, and social functions within the local space.
On 23 June 2026, a project meeting was held in Tolkmicko concerning the implementation of a pilot action under the CONE project, co-financed by the Interreg Central Europe programme.
The event gathered project partners, experts, and representatives of local institutions and stakeholders involved in the process of preparing and implementing the investment. The meeting had a working character and formed part of the ongoing coordination of activities related to the pilot implementation in Tolkmicko.
The pilot action carried out in Tolkmicko represents an integrated demonstration of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) aimed at supporting climate change adaptation and improving the management of stormwater in urban areas. The project combines infrastructural, educational, and participatory components, creating a coherent implementation model that can be replicated in other municipalities and cities in the region.
The central element of the initiative is the construction of a rain garden at the Primary School named after Mikołaj Kopernik in Tolkmicko. The facility performs retention and infiltration functions, enabling temporary storage and natural treatment of stormwater. This solution is aligned with the green infrastructure approach and serves as a practical example of local-scale climate adaptation measures.
The pilot also includes infrastructural improvements to enhance site accessibility and integrate the new space with the existing school grounds and sports infrastructure. An important component of the project is the creation of an educational space enabling the presentation of Nature-Based Solutions, including activities supporting environmental education as well as on-site informational and interpretative materials.
The project is implemented according to the Living Lab methodology, which assumes active involvement of end users and stakeholders in the co-creation and testing of solutions. This approach enables better alignment of activities with local needs and strengthens the social embeddedness of the investment.
The CONE project is implemented by an international partnership, including, among others, APC ERB and GUT, which support the development and implementation of Nature-Based Solutions in the Central Europe and Baltic Sea regions.
The pilot action in Tolkmicko serves a demonstrative function and constitutes an example of NBS implementation in the context of a small town. The experience gained will form the basis for further knowledge exchange and the potential replication of solutions in other locations.
The implementation of the project is part of a broader process of transforming approaches to stormwater management and the design of public spaces in the context of climate change. The integration of green infrastructure, educational activities, and public participation enables the creation of solutions that are durable, functional, and responsive to local needs. The pilot action represents an important step towards building more resilient and sustainable cities and municipalities in the Central Europe region.
How can we effectively involve young people in the planning and design of public spaces?
Representatives of the Association of Polish Municipalities of the Baltic Euroregion and local governments from Elbląg, Gdynia, and Dzierzgoń participated in the international meeting of the Erasmus+ project “Streets for the Youth” in Braga and Vila Verde, Portugal, on June 15–18, 2026. The main goal of the event was to exchange experiences regarding the involvement of young people in the planning of public spaces and to develop tools that support the participation of young residents.
The meeting was attended by project partners from France, Belgium, Portugal, and Poland. The program included presentations of local initiatives, workshops with young people, study visits, and discussions with experts in urban planning, architecture, and urban development.
On the first day, the partners presented examples of projects in which young people participated in the process of shaping public spaces. Particular attention was paid to methods for studying how spaces are used following renovations, as well as to experiences related to the creation and use of the YET app. This tool supports dialogue between young people and local authorities and enables the collection of feedback on public spaces.
Over the following days, participants met with young people involved in local projects in Vila Verde and with experts in urban planning. An important part of the program was a research walk through the city, combined with the use of the YET app to analyze public spaces and identify urban planning challenges.
During the case study session, the partners from Poland presented three initiatives:
the redevelopment of a square in Planty Park in Elbląg,
the revitalization of urban spaces at Plac Konstytucji in Gdynia,
project to transform a school parking lot into a skatepark in Dzierzgoń.
The presentations served as a starting point for a discussion on effectively documenting and disseminating best practices related to youth participation. The partners analyzed what information is most useful for local governments, civic organizations, and professionals planning similar initiatives in their communities.
The “Streets for the Youth” project is being implemented as part of the Erasmus+ program and focuses on strengthening young people’s participation in decision-making processes regarding public spaces. International cooperation allows partners to exchange experiences, test new solutions, and develop methods that support young people’s active participation in shaping the cities and towns where they live.
