Latvia

Basic information

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Mechanisms of Vertical Integration

National — sub-national linkages

In the preparation of the NSDS, several round tables were organised. Representatives of many stakeholder groups took part in the discussions, including municipalities. Representatives of sub-national levels participate in the National Sustainable Development Commission (planning regions and Association of Local Municipalities).

At the national level, the approach of Agenda 21 is reflected in the ‘Guidelines of Sustainable Development’. Municipalities are regarded to play a significant role in achieving SD. Since 1995, the number of LA 21 initiatives has increased, especially due to international cooperation and bilateral co-operation programmes and funding. Moreover, there is growing awareness of SD in the municipalities themselves. The national level encourages the involvement of municipalities in implementing LA 21.

EU linkages

The renewed EU Strategy for Sustainable Development (EU SDS) that was adopted in June 2006 foresees that Member States bi-annually report about how they address the priorities of the EU SDS. Latvia has published its first national report on implementing the EU SDS in June 2007.

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Mechanisms of Horizontal Integration

In 2003, the National Sustainable Development Council (NSDC) was established to coordinate the preparation and implementation of the NSDS as well as to coordinate its sectoral policy documents and legislation, thus aiming to increase policy coherence.

Latvia’s ‘Guidelines of Sustainable Development’ were approved by Government Cabinet in 2002. The ministries involved (ten, plus the responsible Ministry of Environment) and secretariats of the ministers for special assignments, must take into account these guidelines when drawing up sector policy documents and have to submit informative reports on the implementation of the guidelines to the Ministry of the Environment.

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Evaluation and Review

According to the NSDS, the Latvian Environment Agency, on a yearly basis, prepares the National Report about the indicators of SD and provides the necessary information for international reports of indicators. Each year starting from 2003, the responsible ministries shall submit to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development the reports concerning the achievement of goals and related actions set forth in the NSDS. The ministry shall then summarise the reports submitted and prepare a general report to the NCSD and the Cabinet of Ministers. Monitoring and evaluation of SD will be carried out by the NCSD.

In preparation to the UN SD Summit in Johannesburg in 2002, Latvia prepared the “Latvian National Report – Rio+10”. The report describes the situation in the economic, social and environmental spheres, analyses instruments for the implementation of sustainable development, the role of various target groups for development issues, and a selection of Latvia’s most important intermediary sectors.

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Indicators and Monitoring

The Latvian NSDS lists 98 indicators to assess progress towards achieving the policy objectives. The strategy further calls for a ‘National Report on the Indicators of Sustainable Development’ to be prepared on a yearly basis by the Latvian Environment Agency. This report, ‘Sustainable Development Indicators in Latvia’ was published in 2003. The 126 indicators presented therein are structured along the three pillars of sustainable development. An updated version of the indicator report was published in 2007 (only available in Latvian).

The full list(s) of indicators as identified by a study commissioned by Eurostat can be downloaded here:

• NSDS indicators (2002)
• Indicator report (2003)

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Participation

The National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD), established in 2002, is chaired by the Prime Minister. The Minister of Environmental Protection and Regional Development is the Deputy Chair. There are several other stakeholders participating in the NCSD, such as representatives of ministries, trade unions, employers’ confederation, members of the academy of sciences, environmental NGOs, representatives of all planning regions and of the Association of Local Municipalities.

Round tables about the national planning process for the NSDS were organized in the spring 2002. Representatives of governmental and non-governmental sectors, employees, entrepreneurs, municipalities, youth, farmers etc. participated in this process.

For a detailed documentation of all advisory and participatory councils (for SD and/or the environment) in this country, please go to the EEAC website at http://www.eeac-net.org/bodies/latvia/lv_frame.htm and click on one of the listed institutions.

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Sub-national activities

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This Country Profile has been last updated on: Friday, 05 December 2008

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