The International Forum 'Black Sea 2030' was held: Partnership for a sustainable future
- sulevaivelina
- Oct 27
- 3 min read
On October 24, 2025, the International Forum “Black Sea 2030: Partnership for a Sustainable Future” was held at the International Congress Center in Burgas. The forum brought together leading experts, representatives from institutions, academia, business, and non-governmental organizations. The event focused on sustainable development, marine environmental protection, the green transition, and innovations in the blue economy.
The forum, organized by the Municipality of Burgas and the association “ProspektiM”, became a platform for sharing visions, policies, and best practices for the future of the Black Sea.
Participants in the event included a video address by Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Startups, Research, and Innovation at the European Commission; Zhecho Stankov, Minister of Energy; Manol Genev, Minister of Environment and Waters; Miroslav Borshosh, Minister of Tourism; Dr. Lozana Vasileva, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food; Dimitar Nikolov, Mayor of Burgas; Vladimir Krumov, Governor of Burgas Region; representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Charlina Vicheva, Director of the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries at the European Commission; and other representatives from various sectors.
Dr. Nikolay Georgiev, Executive Director of the Executive Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture (IARA), together with his team and Deputy Executive Director Nikolay Boychev, also participated in the forum.
🐟 Our Participation: The SturNet Project in the Expo Zone
Our team participated in the forum’s expo zone, where we presented “SturNet – Network for the Conservation of Sturgeon Populations and the Sustainability of the Black Sea.” The project aims to promote regional cooperation and the implementation of science-based measures for the conservation of sturgeon species and their habitats—some of the most endangered fish in the world and key indicators of the health of riverine and marine ecosystems.
The expo zone became a vibrant space for exchanging ideas.
🌍 Key Highlights from the Panels
The discussions at the forum highlighted the serious challenges facing the marine ecosystem and the need for concrete management actions.
Prof. Dr. Valentina Todorova (Institute of Oceanology – Bulgarian Academy of Sciences) presented up-to-date data on the state of the Black Sea:
Reduced eutrophication on the northwestern shelf, but continued accumulation of organic matter in the sediments;
Point-source pollution in Lake Varna, leading to red blooms;
Overexploitation of fish resources – of seven commercially significant species, only three are being exploited sustainably;
Presence of microplastics in mullet and cetaceans, raising questions about risks to human health.
From the World Bank, Eolina Milova presented analyses showing the presence of species indicative of hypoxia, but no data indicating radioactive contamination in the sediments.
Among the topics discussed was the need to implement an odor management plan, particularly important for industrial and port areas around Burgas. New mobile air monitoring stations are expected to be introduced as early as November.
Researchers from Burgas Free University participated in a discussion on a cleaner and greener economy. In the panel “Innovation and Digitalization in Support of Sustainable Development”, the moderators were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lenia Gonçalves, Head of the Department of Chemistry and of the Central Research Laboratory at the Research Institute of BFU, and a member of the Board of Directors of the association “ProspektiM”, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Husein Yemendzhiev, a lecturer at the university, Deputy Chair of the Board of the Competence Center “Clean Technologies for the Circular Economy”, and manager of ENOVA H2O – a Bulgarian startup developing innovations for water management and monitoring.
🤝 Looking Ahead
The “Black Sea 2030” forum clearly demonstrated that the path to a sustainable future goes through collaboration between science, business, institutions, and civil society.
We are proud that through SturNet we contribute to the collective efforts to preserve the biodiversity and ecological balance of the Black Sea. Our commitment remains focused on implementing innovations, sharing knowledge, and taking joint actions for a cleaner and more vibrant sea.
📸 We thank the organizers for providing an excellent platform for dialogue and everyone who visited our stand in the expo zone. See you at the next edition of “Black Sea 2030”!
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