Editor's note
International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics
Tuesday, 19.03.2024, 11:59
Latvian “green growth”: new perspective
European states’ governments are getting a clear message
from the EU institutions: real actions on climate change are needed, as soon as
Europe is to become the first climate-neutral continent. To make the idea come
true involves taking decisive actions. The states need to invest in innovation
and research, redesign the general economic guidelines and update industrial
and manufacturing policies.
Among other measures, the Commission will not only propose a
“European Green Deal” but also draft the first European climate legislation “to
enshrine the 2050 climate-neutrality” into the EU basic law. Presently, the EU
states have a general goal of 40% emissions reduction by 2030; to achieve that
goal carbon emissions must be taxed: all people and economic sectors will have
to contribute.
Source: Political Guidelines by Ursula von der Leyen in: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/sites/beta-political/files/political-guidelines-next-commission_en.pdf
Climate change: Latvian governments’ responsibilities
Climate change has become already a reality in Latvia with
numerous negative effects. Therefore, Latvia has taken ambitious steps to limit
anthropogenic negative effect on climate change: the country is moving towards
climate neutrality, by significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions in
transport, industry and agriculture.
The measures are quite challenging; but at the same time,
they are supposed to create additional opportunities in developing new “green”
industries.”
Latvian Baltic Sea’s coastline stretches for about 500 sq. km;
however, this territory is affected by coastal erosion. Scientists predict that
by 2060, Latvia can lose about 10 sq.km of its territory as a result of coastal
erosion.
The year 2018 was the driest and most warmest year in Latvian
“meteorological history”: heat and severe drought during that summer resulted
in numerous forests’ fires.
Latvian measures were most active during 2019: thus, in May
Latvian delegation joined a group of EU states at the Sibiu Summit that called
for more ambitious climate targets and setting a goal of climate neutrality for
2050 in line with the goal of limiting the global temperature increase to 1,5oC.
Besides, the government adopted Latvian “national position” concerning European
Commission Communication “A Clean Planet for all- a European strategic
long-term vision for a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate neutral
economy”. This “position” requires Latvian support for the EU’s long-term targets
for reaching climate neutrality by 2050.
Still more: in July 2019, Latvian government approved National
Climate Change Adaptation Plan for 2030, setting out concrete implementation actions
for the near perspective: it includes more than 80 measures to help the
population and economy of Latvia to better adapt to impacts of climate change, e.g.
including such specific measures as increasing alert in forest fires’ cases and
improve infrastructures to manage increased draughts.
Presently, Latvian government is drafting a “National Strategy
for Low Carbon Development by 2050”; besides, together with the Ministry of
Economic Affairs a National Energy and Climate Plan for 2021-2030 is developing
to be submitted to the European Commission by the end of 2019.
Attention to transition measures
Transition towards climate neutrality can only be achieved
through significant change in investment and financing. The global measures
require that the states make finance flows consistent with the ways towards low
greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development. At the EU level a
legislative path was drafted in the Commission’s “Action Plan: Financing
Sustainable Growth”.
Addressing climate change needs active engagement from all Latvian
socio-economic sectors: hence the new government’s efforts to draft a National
Development Plan 2021-2027 which is exploring a holistic and “horizontal
approach” through different economy sectors. The reason is that climate change
is a complex issue which needs coherent actions towards common goal.
The government wishes “to scale up investment” in
innovation, research and technologies to ensure Latvian leading position in climate
change measures and to ensure adequate provision of innovative and low-carbon
solutions. The latter is to provide huge opportunities for both businesses
community and innovators.
Transition to climate neutrality by 2050 is the Latvian long-term
goal that is going to solve the climate crisis and increase country’s competitiveness
in the world. Most important is that “green transition” shall proceed along
such actions as new skills and job creation, food security and public health
while offering new opportunities for sustainable growth.
Latvia need an ambitious, durable and robust climate policy to
transform and designing new incentives and measures to encourage economic
opportunities.
References to: Juris
Pūce’s article “Latvia is ready to be part of climate change solution” in the
Baltic Rim Economies, 3/2019, cited in:
http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/direct_speech/?doc=152296