.png?etag=%22a75a9-6801600c%22&sourceContentType=image%2Fpng&ignoreAspectRatio&resize=72%2B72){kind=small}
EMBASSY OF THE BALTIC SEA
FOUNDATION
During 2026, a swedish foundation is set up to support the Embassy of the Baltic Sea. The purpose of the foundation is to:
- Promote recognition of the rights of the Baltic Sea to health, development and to maintain its regenerative capacity.
- Represent the Baltic Sea and its more-than-human inhabitants in relevant contexts.
- Serve as a laboratory of care for dialogue and collaboration that integrates human and ecological well-being.
- Inspire and support initiatives that strengthen the relationship between people and nature in the Baltic Sea.
The Baltic Sea refers to the entire catchment area from the mountains to the depths of the sea. More-than-human refers to the living world which includes and transcends humanity.
OUR TEAM
THE BOARD
Pella Thiel
FOUNDER / EXPERT
Pella Thiel is a maverick ecologist, farmer, author and educator. She is a knowledge expert in the UN Harmony with Nature programme and has co-founded Swedish hubs of international networks like Transition Sweden, (part of Transition Network) and End Ecocide Sweden (part of Stop Ecocide International) She is an associate of the Centre for Environment and Development Studies at Uppsala University, teach regularly at several swedish universities and lead a one-year eco-psychology programme with Lodyn.
Gabriel Liljenström
EDUCATION
Thomas de Ming
FOUNDER / CREATIVE
Thomas de Ming is educated at Singularity University and an active member of many learning communities, such as Innovation Leaders Sweden, Institute for the Future and SessionLab. For over 35 years, he has worked as a consultant in innovation management, improvement work and educational design with clients in many different sectors, industries and countries. At the age of 22, he was part of the team that started Tom Tits Experiment (a science centre) and has since worked with a creative mix of means of expression in TV, film, radio, stage and exhibitions. Today, he develops many practical solutions to combine physical and digital interaction.
Tobias Nilsson
NATURE CONSERVATION INNOVATOR
Anne Marie Flood
FOUNDER / PROJECTS
Anne Marie Flood is a skilled project leader with many year’s experience of development projects and voluntary work. Good knowledge of different forms of financing through funds and other financing. She has a diploma as market economist and has worked with marketing, communication, leadership, service and quality management. Trained in biology, climate and the environmental issues for the Baltic Sea. Anne Marie is a Rotarian and has been trained as a “Baltic Sea ambassador” (Östersjöambassadör) where she is involved in the work locally and regionally to save the Baltic Sea through The Baltic Sea Regional Action Network (BASRAN – Rotary clubs around the Baltic Sea). She is engaged with Expedition Save the Baltic Sea as a project leader/coordinator for different activities such as the initiative of the Baltic Sea Contract Östersjökontraktet – a commitment for the public to care for the Baltic Sea.
Gabriel Liljenström is a public educator and advisor on development and sustainability issues. Currently works at Act Swedish Church as coordinator for public education and engagement, and lectures on aid and sustainable global development. A member of the board of the Cogito Foundation Green Think Tank and in the reference group for Formas development project New European Bauhaus. Has worked politically as, among other things, a political expert at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Isabella Lövin and at the Green Party's parliamentary office with responsibility for security and development issues. Has started and been responsible for education programs such as the Agenda 2030 Academy and the vocational college program Aquaponics Engineer at Väddö Folkhögskola and Campus Roslagen. Author of, the book "What is the environment - and one hundred other very important issues" together with Maria Wetterstrand.
Tobias Nilsson is a small-scale farmer and conservation innovator with landscape stewardship as his primary focus. With a diverse background in fields including visual media, behavioral science, and ornithology, he has developed new methods for transitioning, primarily within agriculture. Tobias introduced skylark plots and flower strips to Sweden’s agricultural plains through the projects Save the Skylark and Flowers for Bees. In recent years he has worked with system-changing resources in the forest and mixed-farming regions of Uppland. Since 2013, he has developed the conservation operations at Norrtälje Nature Centre and led projects aimed at contributing to knowledge development and resources, such as Färsna Stone Mill and the cooperative brand Roslagskorn. Today, heworks as a consultant, developing projects and concepts to
help society address the challenges
posed by large-scale rationalization, specialization, and centralization within agriculture.
FOUNDERS
Jonna Bornemark
Jonna Bornemark is professor in philosophy and works at The Center for Studies in Practical Knowledge at Södertörns University. Her research focus is posthumanism, pheno-menology and renaissance philo-sophy. She studies the more-than-human, embodiment, cultural transformation, AI, autism etc. Jonna is currently working on the book series called “Vrida världen” (Turning the world), the first volume Vrida världen; de levande (Turning the world; the living) was published spring 2025. She is also is a frequent guest in Swedish radio shows and papers.
Peder Karlsson
Peder Karlsson is an artist and teacher engaged in systemic transformation through individual and collective creativity. A founding member of the Swedish world-renowned a cappella group The Real Group, and an honorary professor of innovative choir leadership at the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus, Denmark, Peder develops interactive methodology and musical frameworks with your body as a musical instrument. Peder is also one of the founders of End Ecocide Sweden, which works to ensure that human laws operate within the limits set by the laws of nature.
Vitalija
Povilaityte-Petri
Vitalija Povilaityte-Petri is a pharmacist and transdisciplinary researcher. She studies how medicinal plants, urban green spaces, therapeutic landscapes (gardens and urban forests) and traditional knowledge contribute to human connectedness with nature and regeneration of healthy ecosystems. Vitalija investigates what role nature medicine, biodiversity restauration, city gardening, nature-based health practices, healthy nutrition, ethno-botanical knowledge and partici-pation in creation of sustainable communities play in addressing societal, environmental and economic challenges such as climate emergence and biodiversity loss.
More about Vitalija Povilaityte-Petri
Nilla Söderqvist
Nilla Söderqvist is the chair of SIKO, an organisation representing inhabitants of the archipelago at a regional level. At local level they act through member associations. SIKO is a member of The National Association of the Archipelago (SRF). At Nämdö folklore society she and some others are working as volonteers to care for the local library. Nilla is engaged in having Nämdö archipelago recognised as a UNESCO Biosphere reserve. Her matter of the heart is enabling year round life and work in the archipelago for all ages.
The Ocean Race
Nature has been integral to The Ocean Race since it first set sail in 1973. Nature is the race track that we compete on and the wind that powers our boats - but it is deteriorating fast. As sailors, we're seeing firsthand the devastating impact of pollution, climate change and industrial overfishing on our ocean. This is why we are Racing for the Ocean, harnessing the ambition of our round-the-world race, and the unifying power of sport, to be a catalyst for change. Together we can turn the tide and turn up the volume: to demand systemic change, to pressure policymakers worldwide, and to radically increase ambition and urgency to help the ocean thrive again.
Hans von Essen
Hans von Essen is an agronomist and senior advisor for BERAS International Foundation which helps building sustainable food systems for municipalities and regions in Sweden. Hans was part of the management team for the two Baltic Sea Region projects aimed at diminshing eutrophication of the Baltic Sea that led to founding BERAS International. His passion is to understand the whole food system and act from there.
Siri Lundström
SIri Lundström is a biologist that has worked with endangered species and aid projects. She is the vice chair and developer of the environmental organisation Älvräddarna (The River Saviors) working for living and streaming waters in Sweden. She is also chair of the Water Council of Lule river, Swedens biggest hydropower river up north. A sustainable world is her driving force and she always strive to learn more. She gives courses in eco construction and has built two hobbit style houses - with straw bales and sedum roofs - at her farm in Sweden.
Gösta Petri
Gösta Petri is a lawyer and has worked for the European Commission for 20+ years, in a wide variety of policy areas ranging from health and consumer protection to data protection and digital transformation. Gösta also co-owns a small farmstead with forest and pastures on the island of Ornö in the Stockholm archipelago. Caring for this place has kindled his interest in the protection of biodiversity, nature's rights as well as in practices such as regenerative agriculture and agroforestry. The continuing deterioration of the Baltic Sea and the depletion of its fish stocks, with dire consequences for biodiversity and the livelihood of local fishermen, is a particular concern for him.
Sofia Wikström
Sofia Wikström is associated professor in marine ecology at Stockholm University. Her research focuses on ecology, conservation and restoration of coastal ecosystems in the Baltic Sea and she has long experience of research and teaching on Baltic Sea species and habitats. Sofia is member of the Vega fellows and Björn Carlsson Baltic Fellows, networks for science communication and leadership to promote a healthier Baltic Sea ecosystem, and regularly acts as expert on Baltic Sea ecosystems for Swedish authorities and HELCOM.
Skenora gård
ekonomisk förening
Skenora gård is a smallholding at Ingarö in the archipelago of Stockholm. The farm has existed since at least the middle of the 16th century. Since 1950 the descendants of Margit and Daniel Thorén live here and work for the wellbeing of all the inhabitants of this place. The name comes from the swedish word ”ski” – part and ”nor” – tight strait: the partition place in the tight strait.
Martin Hedberg
Laterna
Martin Hedberg is a renowned Swedish meteorologist, climate expert, and communicator, known for making complex scientific topics accessible to non-experts. He has worked with the Swedish Armed Forces, national television, Schibsted, a catastrophe bond startup and as a keynote speaker on climate change adaptation and mitigation. Martin specializes in scenario planning and climate risk analysis, helping organizations and individuals prepare for future changes, risks, and opportunities. He is currently working with natural catastrophe (Nat Cat) risks in the insurance industry, as well as providing weather forecasting and routing services for sailors.
More about Martin
Unsu Lee
Unsu Lee likes to describe himself as a community philosopher, who tries to see things from different perspectives without getting confused and who uses this ability to guide communities towards collective prosocial thinking.
He is interested in exploring pathways towards nonviolent, participatory and postcapitalist futures. Unsu is a trustee of Imaginal Seeds, a New Zealand based NGO co-creating a future defined by social equity, ecological health and economic justice by supporting initiatives across six key focus areas: regenerative agriculture; liberation spaces; protecting biodiversity; power and equity; steady state and degrowth and indigenous allyship.
Nina Rehnqvist Ahlberg
Nina Rehnqvist Ahlberg is a former professor in cardiology, chief executive officer of the Swedish National Board of Health and Wellfare and executive officer of SBU (The Swedish agency for health technology assessment and assessment of social services). She has been honored by the foundation Forska! (Research Sweden) 2017 for her life long engagement for the medical science and for the development of a knowledge based healthcare and is one of the founders of Forska! Sweden.
Ekobanken
Ekobanken is a member-owned, ethical bank with transparent lending. It aims at making capital available for the transition that the world needs now and in the future, ecologically, socially and culturally. Ekobanken wants to contribute to a financial system where money is for the people, for you. Ekobanken has been recognised as the most sustainable bank in Sweden.
Älvräddarna
Rivers Savers Association Sweden is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring Sweden’s rivers and freshwater ecosystems, with a strong focus on biodiversity and sustainable water management. Älvräddarna leads projects to improve water quality and ecosystem services, including addressing the environmental impact of hydropower, participating in legal proceedings, and collaborating with local communities.
Lena Kautsky
Lena Kautsky is professor emeritus and senior advisor at the Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre. Her research is focused on macroalgae and the ecology of water plants as well as the biological diversity of the Baltic Sea. Especially how species and habitats are effected by the eutrophication and nutrients and to bring actions to restore the bladderwrack forests in coastal areas.
Eva Nisser
Eva Nisser is a business economist with a background in the financial sector. She is self-employed since almost 40 years and has also worked with political entrepreneurship in the June list (Junilista) receiving 15% of the votes to the European Parliament in 2004. She is engaged in several non-profit activities among others in culture and local People's House. She is an active Rotarian at Nacka Rotary club and is also engaged at district and regional level regarding the project "Save the Baltic Sea", as well as in BASRAN (Baltic Sea Rotary Action Network) where she leads the Action Committee "The impact of industrial fishing on the Baltic Sea ecosystem".
More about BASRAN
My Schüldt
The main commitment of My Schüldt today is to a healthy future for our unique planet, for the sake of children and for the living life on earth. For over 30 years, My has worked as a leadership consultant. Today, she is an author and trainer in Thinking Environment® - how to create the conditions for independent, rigorous, creative and courageous thinking - something she sees that the world needs more of. She is also a co-founder of Ecocide Law Alliance.
Naturskyddsföreningen
Värmdö
Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC) the local branch of Värmdö is a non-profit environmental organisation with the power to bring about change. We spread knowledge, chart environmental threats, propose solutions and influence politicians and authorities, both nationally and internationally. The local branch at Värmdö arrange excursions and seminars and influence decision-makers. Naturskyddsföreningen cares for nature where we live and want to make the world a better place.