Sustainable Development Strategy of Latvia until 2030

The Sustainable Development Strategy of Latvia until 2030 is a national multi-sectoral strategy of Latvia for the period 2010-2030. Its main objectives include development of culture space, investments in human capital, change of paradigm in education, innovative and eco-efficient economy, nature as future capital, perspective of spatial development, and innovative government and participation of the society.
In support of sustainable development, the Strategy provides for integrating natural capital approach in the environmental, economic, spatial and regional development and land policy; estimation of the national natural capital; introducing the green budget reform - promoting the preservation and sustainable development of natural capital; procuring services of ecosystems at an auction from those land owners who offer to purchase the most competitive services of the maintenance of ecosystems; observation of the principle of “polluter pays”; stimulating such entrepreneurial activities, which ensure sustainable use of natural capital; promoting environmentally friendly entrepreneurship; introducing ecological footprint accounts of households for the distribution of sustainable lifestyle; certification of sustainable products; and providing efficient and sustainable use of forest resources.
Further, in order to enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems, the Strategy considers it necessary to strengthen the efficiency and competitiveness of traditional sectors of agriculture in supplying the country with qualitative and competitive food products; diversify rural economy by developing craftsmanship, biological agriculture, development of transport and other services, formation of clusters etc.; promote the development of fishery; restructure the forest industry; develop specialised, highly efficient and technologically up-to-date agrarian industry for the production of food products and industrial raw materials; re-profile and diversify trade types of farms (particularly small and medium farms); establish rural business co-operatives in order to ensure efficient use of production resources, improvement of sale possibilities, and more efficient representation of rural business interests under conditions of free market; facilitate the transfer of knowledge and innovations in agriculture and forestry; support the consolidation of valuable agricultural lands and the formation of larger producing farms, improving the competitiveness of the sector in export markets and concurrently taking into account and assessing the ecological, aesthetical and cultural and historical value of landscapes; support farms for performance of drainage and land amelioration measures; promote the development of rural tourism on the seacoast, in areas with cultural and historical value and landscapes; support investments in aquaculture enterprises, including for processing and marketing of fishing and aquaculture products, as well as the support to development and investment projects for fishing in internal waters; and support reforestation of unutilised agricultural lands of low value.
The Strategy also provides for developing the field of extraction of mineral deposits and production of materials for construction.
In the field of energy, the document aims to develop production and use of renewable energy resources and increase its proportion in the energy sector; plant the production of biomass as renewable energy resource in those territories where agricultural lands are less favourable for the production of food; ensure energy independence of the state by increasing the provision of energy resources and integrating in the EU energy networks; diversify the supply sources of energy resources; reduce energy import; increase energy efficiency; and introduce environmentally friendly transport policy.
The implementation and supervision of the Strategy will be ensured by the Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia, institutions of direct administration, planning regions and local governments in co-operation with social partners and representatives of organised civil society. The Cabinet will submit the Report on National Sustainable Development and Strategy Implementation Progress for review at the Saeima (the Parliament of Latvia). On the basis of the Report, the Saeima may decide regarding certain changes in strategic tasks.