Strategy of Latvia for the Achievement of Climate Neutrality by 2050

The Strategy of Latvia for the Achievement of Climate Neutrality by 2050 is a national cross-sectoral strategy. Its main objective is to achieve climate neutrality of Latvia in 2050.
The Strategy aims to make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable. To this end, it seeks sustainable balance among different types of land use has been achieved in conformity with the climate, nature protection, economic, and social aspects; all forests of Latvia are managed in a sustainable manner; agriculture and forestry provides a significant contribution to bioenergy, concurrently not endangering provision of food and CO2 removals; agriculture and forestry of Latvia is resource-efficient – high productivity has been achieved, products with high added value are produced; research of organic soil has been conducted and corresponding use is applied thereto.
In order to increase the resilience of livelihoods to disasters, the Strategy aims for reduction of GHG emissions in all sectors of national economy; increase of CO2 removals; restructuring of national economy, optimisation of processes in a cost-efficient manner without reducing competitiveness (ensuring stable and increasing decoupling of GDP from GHG emissions); increasing the resource-efficiency, including energy efficiency (principle: energy efficiency first); promoting the use of renewable energy sources; the State does not subsidise the use of fossil energy sources; development and commercialisation of green innovations and research; creation of new green working places; promotion of mutual communication, cooperation, symbiosis, and networking; horizontal integration of the abovementioned principles into all policies of national economy and investments of the public funding is ensured. The Strategy further provides to ensure that LCD aspects are integrated in all studies, low carbon innovations and technologies are commercialised and transferred to all sectors of national economy; ensure comprehensive energy efficiency in every sector of national economy; ensure that only renewable energy sources are used for energy generation in all sectors (where it is technologically possible), and that local energy sources are used and the energy market is completely connected and freely accessible to everyone; ensure optimum transport infrastructure, to change the travel behaviour of inhabitants, to increase the use of resource-efficient and environmentally friendly types of vehicles; ensure sustainable land management, achieving high productivity in agriculture, as well as managing the forests of Latvia in a sustainable manner; ensure that inhabitants of Latvia are implementing environmentally friendly lifestyle and companies have adapted to the tendencies of the global market and are successfully implementing circular economy; and ensure sustainable development of local governments, promoting smart, climate-neutral, and flexible urban environment, inter alia, choosing the green infrastructure in the development of urban environment. Among others, the Strategy also provides for cities and municipalities to provide a contribution to climate change mitigation, being aware of their actual impact on climate change, as well as their key role in achieving the national objectives for GHG emissions.
Implementation of the Strategy is a long-term challenge to every socially and economically active inhabitant. The Strategy is the first policy planning document for such a long period of time in Latvia. Successful implementation thereof will require understanding and involvement, as well as consistent actions not only from the State, but also from local governments, non-governmental organisations, merchants, researchers, and every inhabitant of the State. In order to evaluate the introduction of the Strategy, a periodic report on the progress of the Strategy and evaluation of the efficiency of introduction thereof must be ensured. The Strategy is implemented by preparing and introducing national climate and energy plans (the first of them by 2030, taking into consideration the objectives of 2050 and the vision for 2050 laid out in the Strategy) the necessity of which is determined by the Energy Union. These plans consist of 5 dimensions: energy security, solidarity, and trust; fully-integrated European internal energy market; energy efficiency (including in transport); and decarbonising the economy; research, innovation, and competitiveness.