In order to raise the living standards and economic well-being of Latvia's population more rapidly, and taking into account the extremely rapid geopolitical, economic and technological changes of recent years, the Ministry of Economics has drawn up a new growth strategy for the Latvian economy.

 

To achieve the objectives set out, labour resources must be secured – at least 900,000 people in employment per year; the share of exports must be increased to at least 80% of GDP; and an annual volume of private investment of at least 25% of GDP must be ensured.

 

This year in the Latvian economy can again be described as a time of overcoming difficulties rather than one of enjoying life and easy growth. In one respect, though, life is getting easier: the fall in raw material prices that began as far back as the end of the year before last is now reaching consumers.

 

 

A summary of the results of the public consultation on the informative report “On the results of the survey of the distribution and quality of protected habitats and further action to ensure a favourable conservation status for protected habitats and to balance the development interests of the sectors of the national economy”.

 

...the performance is not a protest (..), but it is a reminder that every decision will affect people and therefore, directly or indirectly, the lives of other living beings too, including trees.

 

 

The hermit beetle inhabits old, hollow broadleaved trees of the kind that grow in every region of Latvia, including Riga. The larvae develop in the hollows for up to three years, while the adult beetle is active for only a few weeks in the second half of the summer. Microreserves are established in Latvia to protect the hermit beetle population.

 

In 2023, the environmental experts and environmental planning specialists of “Latvijas valsts meži” not only recorded new sites of rare species in the state forests, but also continued to monitor protected species in order to ensure favourable living conditions for these and other species over the long term, thereby promoting biodiversity.

 

The mouths of four rivers – the Gauja, the Ķikans, the Irbe and the Lūžņa – are closed to visitors until 31 July. The river mouths in question have been cordoned off, with information signs and display boards set up on site. During this period, holidaymakers, canoeists, dog owners and anglers are asked to choose other stretches of the shore for recreation and walks on the beach and to let the birds raise their young.

 

Within the LatViaNature project, the Nature Conservation Agency has produced a series of 10 short films about biologically valuable forest – “Tales of the Old Bracket Fungus” – which are based on scientific data and the knowledge of leading nature experts and, in the wise voice of the Bracket Fungus, will be comprehensible to everyone.

 

Barrels, scrap metal, bottles, old bicycles and much else besides were found during an underwater clean-up in Jelgava. In six hours, more than 20 divers pulled from the bed of the River Driksa an assortment of objects that had lain there for several decades, filling an entire construction waste skip.

 

It is clear at present that the earthquake, if there was one, was of a local scale, since signs of it were observed at only one monitoring station. The magnitude of the presumed event is therefore most likely below 3, which means that no damage to buildings or infrastructure in connection with the earthquake would be expected.

 

 

 

https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/kultura/kulturtelpa/27.04.2024-mekle-attistibas-iespejas-pamestajam-muizam-zudosam-kulturas-mantojumam.a552091/

 

For me personally, for example, there is something at present that is still only at the concept stage, within the framework of a state research programme, on what the metaphors were in, say, documentary films of the 1960s, and whether and how today's audiences perceive them at all. It is very clear there that certain things we have – certain statements, images – which we once understood and read immediately are now completely lost on young people. That, of course, is something to be discussed; in fact, perhaps a kind of dictionary even needs to be compiled for it.