Ecology, Energy, EU – Baltic States, Forum, Latvia, Legislation, Technology

The signatories of the memorandum are the Head of Green Bridge Forum, Ltd., Andrejs Pumpurs and representatives of various international organisations, such as the Oslo Renewable Energy and Environment Cluster, OREEC (Norway) Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kyrgyzstan) Kazakhstan Business Council for Sustainable Development, CLEAN Cluster (Denmark) Cleantech Latvia, Agency of Corporate Development  ”CSR Central Asia”, NGO Agency of Support for Development Processes Nau (Tajikistan).

All parties have agreed on common interest for information exchange on partners’ future activities within the European – Central Asian context, in order to identify the best methods and tools for cooperation. Along with that, parties plan to evaluate a possibility of joint activities.

The third day of the Green Bridge Forum 2015 was opened by the Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Environment Protection and Regional Development responsible for environmental issues, Alda Ozola. During the five sessions of the day various technologies were presented, including water supply and waistwater cleaning systems, cleaning of polluted soil, forestry technologies, energo efficiency and renewable energy, international cooperation of cleantech clusters, as well as waste management solutions.

Presentations were given by representatives of various companies and NGOs, a viewpoint on industry development was expressed by experts from Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Denmark, Finland and Norway.

Green Bridge Forum 2015 was opened on April 15 by the General Director of the DG Environment of the European Commission, Carl Falkenberg, the Minister of Environment Protection and Regional Development of Latvia, Kaspars Gerhards, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Andrejs Pildegovičs. The opening session was attended by high level politicians from Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The opening session of the Forum was moderated by the former EU Commissioner for Energy and Development Cooperation Andris Piebalgs.

The second day of the Green Bridge Forum 2015 was opened by the Mayor of Jurmala, Gatis Truksnis, and was continued by the very first speech in his new position by the newly appointed Special Representatives of the European Union in Central Asia, Peter Burian. The day was devoted to regional cooperation, and presentations were given by the representatives from Kirgizstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Italy and Romania.

The objective of the Green Bridge Forum 2015 is strengthening cooperation between the EU and Central Asia countries within the field of enivornment technologies. During the four days of the Forum the highest officials, politicians, leading innovators, ministers of environment, industry experts and business representatives will discuss importance of the green technologies in those countries. One of the priorities of the Forum is promotion of environment governance.

The Forum is organized from April 15 through April 18 during the Latvian Presidency of the European Union Council by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Environment Protection and Regional Development, the European Commission, Jurmala City Council and Green Bridge Forum, Ltd.