Worth knowing! Upcoming and current events
On 5 December at the LBTU Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences
LMSP 9th International Conference “Scientific, Economic and Social Aspects of Natural Resource Use in the Current Environmental and Geopolitical Context”
5–8 September, Peat Days
https://www.latvijaskudra.lv/lv/notikumi/aktualitates/1585-kudras_dienas_2024_gada_5_-_8_septembri.html
6–8 September, European Heritage Days
7–8 September, Slītere National Park Travellers' Days
10 September, international webinar on halting the illegal import of panel products into Europe
21 September, Autumn Plant Parade in Sigulda
Until 30 September we invite you to nominate a tree and its story for the “Tree of the Year” competition
The “Flower Roads” campaign runs from 1 February to 30 October
https://www.mammadaba.lv/aktuali/235-pasakumi/3920-akcija-ziedu-celos-2024-aicinas-apmeklet-astonus-ziedosu-kolekciju-darzus
https://www.mammadaba.lv/aktuali/235-pasakumi/3920-akcija-ziedu-celos-2024-aicinas-apmeklet-astonus-ziedosu-kolekciju-darzus
The excursion timetable of the Baloži peat narrow-gauge train for this season
https://www.kudrasbanitis.lv/lv/ekskursijasOn 21 September and 12 October hikes in the Krustkalni Nature Reserve
From 18 May, the exhibition “From Birch Seed to Betulin” at the Pharmacy Museum
27–29 March 2025, 12th Baltic Theriological Conference “Baltic mammals in the turbulence of anthropogenic tensions”
On industry matters
Following the storm and heavy downpours experienced in the Zemgale region at the end of July, “Latvijas valsts meži” has assessed the damage caused by the storm – the volume of felled and broken trees has reached approximately 100,000 cubic metres, and around a third of the total damage has so far been dealt with.
Prospective buyers from Korea are showing keen interest in modular timber houses made in Latvia. For the time being, however, no supply contracts have been concluded, and the largest buyers are here in Europe.
In the first half of the year, the main revenue of “Rīgas meži” came from sales of roundwood, branches and logging residues, as well as from the provision of transport services – 9.506 million euros, or 74% of total revenue.
An energy drink made from spruce buds – Klinta Kārkliņa, a student at the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Technology of the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, is working on developing such a product. Although it is not yet clear when the drink might go into production, the student is determined to continue her research.
On peat
Does Latvia have many export products in demand around the world, for which demand grows year after year and which generate up to 300 million euros in export revenue a year? Peat substrates for horticulture are just that – used for growing healthy food, trees and ornamental plants.
Dainis Aļeksējevs, head of the peat extraction company SIA “Saukas kūdra”, points out, however, that investment requires stability in the industry, and in his view there is currently no such confidence about the future in Latvia. Reducing emissions in the peat extraction process itself is, meanwhile, problematic.
Official
On 3 September, the Cabinet of Ministers approved regulations drawn up by the Ministry of Climate and Energy setting out in which cases households receive state support, and how much, in the event of an extraordinary rise in energy prices. In such situations, support will go to households with low and lower-middle incomes.
On economic matters
The latest published manufacturing figures begin with good news – the sector has grown by 1.4% over the year. But this was delivered by the energy sector with a 66% jump, which in turn was caused by a sudden rise in cogeneration volumes. There the main cost item is imported natural gas, so it does not generate much additional income for our economy.
It is understandable that the detail of each sector has particularities that cannot be judged adequately using macroeconomic figures alone, but it can safely be said that every employee who leaves the public sector for justified and necessary reasons and joins the labour market in the private sector will make a twofold contribution.
No self-respecting practising financial expert could conclude that, under the “airBaltic” scenario being pursued, the state's aim has been to recover the money invested by taxpayers, or that the airline's management is acting in the interests of its shareholder, the Latvian state.
https://www.lasi.lv/par-svarigo/latvija/mara-libeka-valsti-ir-kada-ipasa-kasta-kura-burtiski-peld-nauda.19143
A system has been set up whereby the board carries out a self-assessment which then reaches the holder of the capital shares, and the question then is what they do with that information. The impression is that the evaluation is fairly formal and that in substance it does not take place at all.
On the environment and the economy
...fishers are convinced that traditional coastal fishing is the method most gentle on natural resources, and that new restrictions will destroy this small but sought-after industry.
In order to address fishers' long-standing dissatisfaction with the disruption grey seals cause to coastal fishing, the Nature Conservation Agency (the agency) is this year issuing permits for the first time to 19 legal entities for the lethal deterrence of grey seals. The permits are issued with a number of safety and species protection conditions.
In the regulated regime zone of the Teiči Nature Reserve, on 14 and 15 September, as well as on 21 and 22 September, only local residents will be allowed to pick cranberries, without the use of picking aids. This will be open to residents whose declared place of residence is in Mētriena and Barkava parish in Madona municipality, Atašiene parish in Jēkabpils municipality, and Murmastiene and Varakļāni parish in Varakļāni municipality.
On transport
One possible solution could be to expand cooperation with the other Baltic states in rail transport. The Ministry of Transport stresses that questions of rolling stock availability in non-electrified zones will be addressed in conjunction with the opening of the domestic rail transport market to competition, assessing market-opening scenarios and models for providing railway rolling stock.
The Latvian government must look for ways to reduce the costs of the Rail Baltica railway project, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis said in an interview with Latvijas Radio.
“Pasažieru vilciens” is working and planning how to secure rolling stock, and is also working with colleagues in the Baltics. We will discuss possibilities for cooperation, possibly the joint use of a shared non-electrified passenger train set.
Various reports and events
Over the past ten years in Latvia, 1.45 million euros of taxpayers' money has been spent renovating a number of schools which were closed soon afterwards. The officials responsible for deciding on the reconstruction of these schools reject any suggestion of mismanagement of taxpayers' money. Why did a series of local authorities take such decisions?
Current affairs in cartoons
