Who We Are


	Who We Are - What We Do
	The Aktionskonferenz Nordsee (AKN) was established in 1985 with the purpose of contributing to the development and promotion of environmentally and socially beneficial structures for the North Sea ecosystem, its coastal regions and the rivers flowing into the North Sea.
	Broadening of Awareness The work carried out by AKN particularly serves the purpose of broadening awareness of environmental dangers and developing political pressure to eliminate the cause. Due to the fact that our activities are aimed at combating causes, including the pointing out of alternatives, the scope of our work is broadly based. We are not content with merely focusing on symptoms.
	Coordination and Common Work We view coordination of the various environmental protection activities of initiatives and organisations as our main task. In connection with the conferences of the Ministers of the Environment on the North Sea situation in 1984 and 1987, the AKN held two large conferences of its own with several hundred participants from citizens' action groups, unions, political parties and from the field of science. The results of these conferences were recorded in a "North Sea Memorandum" (drawn up in 1984, amended in 1987, 2nd revised edition in 1989), which since then has become the substantive basis of our work. In a "North Sea Tribunal" in May 1989, set up by the AKN and other environmental protecting organisations, those companies and agencies responsible for the pollution of the North Sea were accused by name and "condemned" for their acts and their failure to act by a jury of scientists, legal experts and journalists.
	International Activities North Sea Area The AKN is also engaged in international efforts within the framework of the "Seas at Risk Federation" (an amalgamation of environmental protection organisation in the countries bordering the North Sea), which it cofounder in order to expand cooperation aimed at protection of the North Sea among the nongovernmental organisations. "Seas at Risk" takes a critical view of the international conferences of ministers through scientific work, various actions and campaigns as well as demonstrations. "Seas at Risk" has an observer status in a number of international bodies and supports, among other things, the work of the "International Maritime Organisation" (IMO), the Oslo-Paris Commission (OSPARCOM) and the International North Sea Protection Conference (NSC) with critical contributions.
	Baltic Sea Area Since 1988 the AKN has also established contacts in the East European countries and has been supporting the development of international cooperation among citizens' action groups in the Baltic Sea region. In conjunction with the Latvian "Club for the defence if the Environment", we have held two international Baltic Sea (1989 in Latvia, 1990 in Wismar) and have thus attempted to increase public awareness of the catastrophic condition of the sea. In addition, AKN initiated the "Environmental Centers for Administration and Technology" (ECAT) financed by the EC and set up in St. Petersburg and Riga in 1993.
	Exhibition "Give children a Chance" The AKN exhibition under the heading "Give children a future!" consisting of posters of the German ecological movement from 1970-1990, was displayed by us in the St. Petersburg region, in Latvia and in Germany, including informative events on various environmental themes at the respective location.
	Campaign "Chlorine has no Future" In order to get the chemical industry to finally to put an end to the extremely environmental destructive sector of chlorine-based production and thus to the production of PVC, pesticides, solvents and CFCs, AKN began a campaign entitled "Chlorine has no future" in 1990 with various events, public relations work, campaigns and the issue of relevant publications.
	Further Activities Further focal points of our activities include educational work aimed at schools, unions and the general public, such as course units prepared by AKN, provision of speakers an publication of the magazine "WATERKANT". In recent years the AKN office in Bremen has become an important address for inquiries and request for support from Germany and abroad. The managing committee of the AKN works exclusively on an honorary basis.