Editor's note

Leadership in science

The time for launching cooperation in science could not be mote timely: the “European idea” needs all possible support at a time when the EU member states want to safeguard national interests affected by global challenges, and nationalism is blossoming in some parts of the Union. New boosting impulses are needed to accelerate integration; but can “scientific approaches” the way they presently are shaped and available deliver? Not really! So far in the EU, to be exact, only in natural science and technology the cooperative arrangements have been successful: already 7 framework programs in R&D during last four decades have been adopted with huge resources for numerous “collective approaches”.

But what about social science? The SENT-program, as it seems, is going to provide an answer. At the end of March an important event had happened which most certainly would accelerate the Baltic States understanding (as well as in other regions, I hope) of the European integration through the so-called “scientific approaches” to European social studies. The event was a Network of European Studies, or SENT which was successfully launched in an old Italian city of Forli. The program or network is aimed at accelerating peoples’ perceptions of integration by closer look at “European dimensions” in social sciences, e.g. politics and economy, law and cultural spheres and education.

These might seem a desperate attempt to catch up with other prospective regions, e.g. the US and Japan where science has acquired greater financial support, both from the public and private sources. However, the SENT-project seems quite serious and challenging.

Leadership in combating global climate changes

At the end of March started the first negotiating session in Bangkok, since the UN climate conference in Bali last December decided to conclude the agreement at the UN conference in Copenhagen by the end of 2009. The new treaty is intends to take effect once the Kyoto Protocol's targets for limiting greenhouse gas emissions from developed countries expired in 2012. Bangkok is the first of four negotiating sessions to be held this year: the next will be in June in Bonn, Germany, the third at the end of August and the fourth during the Poznan conference in December. It’s not only about the European territory where most of the meetings take place; it is the EU initiative and contents that is important.

The EU would like to see a comprehensive decision reached on a detailed and substantive work plan that addresses the central issues of the future agreement's objective (or “shared vision”), reduction of emissions, adaptation to climate change, technology transfer and financial issues. The work plan should effectively engage, among others, the private sector and non-governmental organisations and should also prepare for the next annual UN climate conference in Poznan, Poland, in December 2008. It all would require worldwide emissions of greenhouse gases to be cut by more than 50% of 1990 levels by mid-century.

As a first step, the EU is proposing that developed countries commit to reducing their collective emissions to 30% below 1990 levels by 2020. EU leaders have committed the EU to making this 30% cut if other developed countries commit to comparable reductions and if the economically more advanced countries contribute adequately according to their capabilities.

These plans require certain efforts from the Baltic States; this year is of particular importance for this region (e.g. it marks 90 years of Latvian independence), and 20 years since the start of the national revival in all three states. Spectacular “Singing Revolution” in Latvia and overthrow of Communist oppression –these are things to remember. José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, in his speech in University of Latvia in Riga on 14 February 2008, said: “What is important to Latvia is important to Europe; and the reverse is also true because this is an important year for Europe as well. It is the year of working for ratification of the Lisbon Reform Treaty – one of our top priorities over the next 12 months”.