Swedish Award Honours Polish Initiatives to Reduce Nutrient Transport to the Baltic Sea

VISBY, Sweden, July 5, 2010 - The 2010 Swedish Baltic Sea Water Award goes to Prof. Maciej Nowicki and
Prof. Marek Gromiec. The two winners will receive the award in recognition of
their respective efforts to reduce the Polish nutrient loads to the Baltic
Sea. The announcement was made today in Visby by Mr. Joakim Stymne, Sweden's
State Secretary for International Development Cooperation.

For translations, photos and background information see:
www.siwi.org/baltic_award_2010

When naming the winners of the 2010 Swedish Baltic Sea Water Award,
Sweden's Ministry for Foreign Affairs have chosen to highlight the
initiatives of two Poles whose respective work have contributed to
improvement of the marine environment of the Baltic Sea. Nutrients from
wastewater and agricultural activities have a strong negative impact on the
water quality of the Baltic Sea. During the last decade, Poland has made
considerable investments in new and modernised sewage treatment, which has
led to a significant decrease in the concentration of nutrients being
transported to the Baltic Sea.

In its official motivation, the award committee points out that Prof.
Maciej Nowicki and Prof. Marek Gromiec have managed to link science,
management and politics in successful programmes for reducing the Polish
nutrient loads to the Baltic Sea.

Professor Maciej Nowicki is the founder of EcoFund, an independent
non-profit institution which channels foreign financial resources into
environmental protection projects in Poland. Since its establishment in 1992,
EcoFund has subsidized initiatives of both national and international
significance. Prof Nowicki served as Eco Fund's president until 2007.

Professor Marek Gromiec has led a number of national and international
projects on water management which has led to the development of a national
water policy and pollution control strategies. As the Chairman of the Polish
National Council for Water Management, he has significantly contributed to
reduction of Poland's pollution into the Baltic Sea.

Sweden's Ministry for Foreign Affairs will present the two winners with
the award on September 7 during the 2010 World Water Week in Stockholm. The
award ceremony will be open to the public.

About the Swedish Baltic Sea Water Award

Established in 1999, the Swedish Baltic Sea Water Award honours
innovation, commitment and new methods that help protect the Baltic Sea water
environment. The Award is presented annually by Sweden's Ministry for Foreign
Affairs and is administrated by the Stockholm International Water Institute
(SIWI). The prize sum was increased this year from 100,000 SEK to 250,000
SEK. For more info about the award and previous winners see:
www.siwi.org/swedishbalticseawateraward

PRESS INFORMATION

For translations, photos and background information see:
www.siwi.org/baltic_award_2010

For more information and interview requests, contact:
Rami Abdel Rahman, SIWI, +46-8-522-139-96, rami.abdelrahman at siwi.org;
Lovisa Selander, SIWI, +46-8-522-139-86, lovisa.selander at siwi.org