Industry
https://www.db.lv/zinas/video-top500-balva-lielakais-vieteja-kapitala-razosanas-uznemums-latvija-latvijas-finieris-524772
Latvijas Finieris is a European leader and one of the world’s leading companies in modern, customer-focused birch wood product solutions. Under the Riga Wood brand, its products are sold in 47 countries.
https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/ekonomika/30.01.2026-komisija-valdibas-atbalstu-sanemuso-kokrupnieku-finansu-stavoklis-nebija-nestabils-par-to-lemts-bez-kvalitativas-analizes.a632361/
At the same time, the commission notes that two years have already passed since the report in question was drafted, processed and implemented, meaning that, under the Law on Disciplinary Liability of State Civil Service Officials, disciplinary proceedings can no longer be initiated. It can therefore be concluded that the statute of limitations has expired, the commission’s information report states.
https://www.1188.lv/zinas/pern-latvija-degusi-mezi-kopuma-73-1-hektara-platiba/61094
In most cases – 99 of them – the cause of the fire could not be determined. These fires burned a total of 28.4 hectares of forest.
Worth knowing! About upcoming and current events
2 February World Wetlands Day
https://www.varam.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/no-pargajieniem-lidz-niedru-skulpturu-festivalam-februari-aicina-izzinat-mitraju-nozimi-dabas-daudzveidiba-un-cilveka-dzive
3 February Latvian Open-Air Ethnographic Museum international conference on construction and architecture issues, “Preserving and Interpreting Architectural Heritage Today”
http://brivdabasmuzejs.lv/zinas/muzeja-starptautiska-gadskarteja-konference-3-februari/
12 February at the University of Latvia Botanical Garden, Agnis Graudulis’ lecture “Nut Growing in Canada”
More information
https://www.zemeunvalsts.lv/lekcija-riekstkopiba-kanada
14 February Hunters’ Biathlon
https://www.silava.lv/aktualitates/lvmi-silava-aicina-uz-spraigu-mednieku-biatlonu
27 February Horticulture Conference at Bulduri Technical School
https://www.darzkopibaskonference.lv/
22 and 23 May “Latvian Forest Days”
https://www.lvm.lv/jaunumi/7854-latvijas-meza-dienas-tervete-notiks-22-un-23-maija
Survey on coexistence with large predators
https://sondages.inrae.fr/index.php/456847?lang=lv
Officially
https://www.varam.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/uzsakta-juras-planojuma-2030-grozijumu-izstrade
VARAM has begun work on Maritime Spatial Plan 2030 amendments. Marine space is a value and resource for every resident of Latvia, one that must be used responsibly and sustainably.
https://rigasmezi.lv/jaunumi/pazinojums-par-ietekmes-uz-vidi-novertejuma-zinojuma-sabiedrisko-apspriesanu
Public consultation on the environmental impact assessment report for mineral extraction at the “Acones mežs” sand deposit is taking place from 30 January 2026 to 1 March 2026.
Economy
https://www.delfi.lv/bizness/37264250/biznesa_vide/120104381/vienkarss-regulejums-un-pietiekams-atbalsts-diskute-par-es-bioekonomikas-strategijas-istenosanu
The main goals set out in the EU Bioeconomy Strategy are designed to help the EU improve its competitiveness by bringing new, innovative products to market, and to replace fossil resources with biological ones, which is important given the current geopolitical circumstances.
https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/ekonomika/26.01.2026-kuldiga-darbaspeka-piesaistei-papildina-dzivojamo-fondu-bus-daudz-jaunu-dzivoklu.a631506/
The apartment building project has been in the works for some time, as the company Stiga RM has been facing a housing shortage in Kuldīga. By the end of this year, 65 new flats in the 4,800-square-metre building will be available, mainly to the company’s employees and their families.
https://www.investoruklubs.lv/viedokli/2026/01/29/zuduso-paterinu-meklejot
Questions about where the contents of people’s wallets ultimately disappear to are also raised by the fact that measured sales volumes online and by mail order have been stagnating for a long time, in contrast to the changes in habits and technological opportunities visible all around us in real life.
https://satori.lv/article/latviesu-emociju-likumi-nevienlidzibas-kurss
If, at the ballot box, we understand freedom in this way – as economic licence rather than civic and economic solidarity –, wellbeing becomes a private responsibility of the individual. The inevitable consequence of such policy is growing economic inequality.
https://satori.lv/article/vestures-traumas-latvijas-ekonomika-raidieraksts-nevienlidzibas-kurss
Finland’s economy isn’t growing much right now either, but they’ve managed to hold on at a sufficiently high level. That is a sustainable development cycle. If we look at recent history, before 2008 we had extraordinary optimism, but GDP at that time was not sustainable.
...and once again...
https://satori.lv/article/latvijas-dabai-jaklust-par-juridisku-personu
Last year, the World Economic Forum explained that certain natural entities (most often rivers, but also forests, lakes, lagoons and mountains) are being granted legal personhood status. In practice, this means nature can become a subject of rights. Legal action can be brought in its name, compensation for damage or protective measures can be sought, and state institutions may face a more direct obligation to act.
Science
https://www.lbtu.lv/lv/raksts/2026-01-30/izstradats-promocijas-darbs-par-ara-berzu-selekciju-latvija
At the Latvian State Forest Research Institute Silava, Arnis Gailis defended his doctoral thesis “Breeding of Silver Birch (Betula pendula Roth.) in Latvia”, earning the degree of Doctor of Science (Ph.D.) in agricultural, forest and veterinary sciences.
https://www.lbtu.lv/lv/raksts/2026-01-30/promocijas-darba-noverteta-meza-masinu-informacijas-sistemu-izmantosana
At the Latvian State Forest Research Institute Silava, Aigars Strūbergs defended his doctoral thesis “Using Forest Machine Information Systems to Assess the Effectiveness of Harvester Operator Training” and earned the degree of Doctor of Science (Ph.D.) in agricultural, forest and veterinary sciences.
https://www.lza.lv/aktualitates/jaunumi/2444-lza-senats-jauna-gada-pirmaja-sede-apstiprina-lza-vardbalvu-un-jauno-zinatnieku-balvu-laureatus
On 20 January, the Senate of the Latvian Academy of Sciences (LZA) approved the decisions of the LZA award expert committees at its first sitting of the year and decided to grant LZA named awards and awards for young scientists.
https://kki.lv/aktualitates/latvana-izmantosana-biomaterialos
...the study does stress that using giant hogweed in materials science is not a solution to the invasion problem as a whole, but it does offer a new perspective on possible applications and future research directions.
https://kki.lv/aktualitates/no-tejas-biezumiem-lidz-laboratorijas-pieradijumiem
When black tea waste, hemp fibre, pine cellulose and recycled paper end up side by side on a laboratory table, the question arises – can these everyday materials reveal something new?
Hunting
https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/latvija/28.01.2026-medniekus-apmacis-notriekt-dronus-diennakts-tumsaja-laika.a632055/
At present, around 500 hunters are trained in safe shooting skills each year. This is part of a comprehensive defence system. Hunters are trained so that, in a crisis situation, these armed individuals would be able to support the National Guard and the National Armed Forces.
https://www.medibam.lv/ja-mednieks-nezina-likumus-bus-daudz-problemu-sauj-garam-320-epizode
...with hunter Viesturs Arklons on questions that most often cause confusion and debate among hunters in practice.
Environment
https://www.varam.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/no-pargajieniem-lidz-niedru-skulpturu-festivalam-februari-aicina-izzinat-mitraju-nozimi-dabas-daudzveidiba-un-cilveka-dzive
Marking World Wetlands Day under this year’s theme “Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Honouring Cultural Heritage”, the Nature Conservation Agency is inviting people to four free events in February at the Lubāna Wetland, the North Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve, and Ķemeri National Park.
https://www.tvnet.lv/8404659/valdiba-apstiprina-gaisa-piesarnojuma-samazinasanas-planu-lidz-2030-gadam
At its Tuesday meeting, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the Plan for Reducing Emissions of Fine Particulates, Ammonia, Nitrogen Oxides, Volatile Organic Compounds and Sulphur Dioxide for 2026-2030.
https://www.varam.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/apstiprinats-dabas-lieguma-stompaku-purvi-dabas-aizsardzibas-plans-lidz-2037-gadam
The Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development has approved the nature protection plan for the “Stompaki Mires” nature reserve, covering the period up to 2037.
https://www.medibam.lv/kina-sniega-leopards-uzbrucis-slepotajai-sakotneja-informacija-par-notikumu-gaitu-ir-nepatiesa
...the snow leopard is a large wild predator. It is not a decorative animal, a park attraction, or a little cat, as popular culture often portrays it. Snow leopards display strong territorial behaviour, powerful instincts and natural defence mechanisms. Even species that normally avoid humans can react quickly and aggressively if they feel cornered or threatened.
https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/dzive-stils/vide-un-dzivnieki/28.01.2026-ar-eiropas-finansejumu-rosinas-atjaunot-vesturiskos-kudras-purvus.a631852/
...restoring bogs where peat was once extracted is important for a number of reasons...
https://telos.lv/zala-kursa-neprats/
...the fanaticism and eagerness to please with which Latvian politicians promise to make the country even “greener” resembles the efforts of Latvian Communist Party leader Arvīds Pelše to rename Riga as Gagarin.
The End Is Here
https://www.apollo.lv/8405082/pabeigta-30-gadus-ilgusi-zemes-reforma-kas-atjauno-psrs-laika-atnemtas-ipasuma-tiesibas
The reform was launched in 1990 to restore land ownership rights to those whose land had been taken away while Latvia was unlawfully incorporated into the USSR. The reform involves dividing up land, returning it to former owners or their heirs, as well as allocating unclaimed land for use and privatisation.
Wooden architecture
https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/kultura/dizains-un-arhitektura/25.01.2026-kraslavas-koka-maju-seja-atklajas-jauna-ekspozicija.a631425/
This story offers a look at Krāslava’s greatest asset – its wooden architecture, which has survived in places but in many others remains only in old photographs. It is a value that must not be allowed to disappear...
https://www.delfi.lv/56419869/amatu-stasti-latgale-un-aukstaitija/120100915/koka-kods-celojums-kraslavas-koka-arhitekturas-pasaule
Wood, form and light create the setting in which the story of Krāslava’s unique wooden architecture begins.
History
https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/dzive-stils/vesture/24.01.2026-publiska-latviesu-karaviru-datubaze-laus-aiztaupit-daudzas-stundas-arhiva-kas-taja-atrodams.a631405/
The Latvian War Museum has created a publicly accessible database “Latvian Soldiers”, containing information on around 30,000 Latvian riflemen of the First World War and the Russian Civil War, as well as on nearly 100,000 residents of Latvia who served in German military units during the Second World War
https://zz.lv/projekti/projekts-novadu-aktualitates/vecais-zvans-uzdod-jautajumus-par-jelgavas-vesturi/
It remains a mystery how the bell fragment found in the church ruins in 1989 ended up in the courtyard of Jelgava Palace. Historian D. Lībietis recalls that in 1989, when he began working as head of the Jelgava Palace museum, the bell fragment was already in the palace courtyard. Former LLU rector V. Strīķis, on the other hand, believes the bell fragment was not yet in the palace courtyard before the Awakening.
This and that
https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/dzive-stils/vide-un-dzivnieki/22.01.2026-kroneta-latvijas-skaistaka-kaza.a631183/
Goat farming is a small sector in Latvia, and many owners see it as a hobby or a small-scale enterprise. Official data, however, show that the number of goats has fallen over the past two years. The chairperson of the board of the Latvian Goat Breeders’ Association estimated that the number has dropped from 13,000 to nine thousand goats.
Miscellaneous
https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/arzemes/24.01.2026-eksperts-kritizet-var-vienmer-jautajums-ir-vai-ar-so-asv-prezidentu-publiska-diplomatija-ir-pareiza-izvele.a631372/
What we see is that, positively or negatively, the European Union is increasing its defence budget. We are beginning to understand the scale at which we can handle issues independently. As time goes on, the European Union must certainly remain independent, and that is also tied to this whole question of competitiveness.
https://replay.lsm.lv/lv/klausies/ieraksts/lr/216784/ko-musdienas-nozime-but-profesionalam-politikim-un-ka-par-tadu-klut
At the start of an election year: the politician as a profession, and political culture as part of cultural policy.
Current affairs in cartoons
https://www.lasi.lv/par-svarigo/karikatura/zime-gatis-sluka-lauski-vajadzetu-vienoties.37397
https://www.lasi.lv/maja-gimene/majas-viesis/zime-gatis-sluka-ziemas-pludmale.37203
https://www.lasi.lv/par-svarigo/karikatura/zime-gatis-sluka-dokumenti-jutas-labi.37466
https://www.diena.lv/raksts/diena-citi/karikaturista-skats/miljardigas-sliedes-14347174