On current and upcoming events
### 23 November LBTU Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences LMSP 8th International Conference Changes and solutions in environmental policy for sustainable, climate-neutral economic development
https://www.zemeunvalsts.lv/8-starptautiska-konference-izmainas-un-risinajumi-vides-politika-ilgtspejigai-klimatneitralai-ekonomikas-attistibai-
https://www.zemeunvalsts.lv/8-starptautiska-konference-izmainas-un-risinajumi-vides-politika-ilgtspejigai-klimatneitralai-ekonomikas-attistibai-
### 30 November LBTU Aula Forestry Sector Conference 2023
### Until 3 December, we invite you to vote for the European Tree of the Year
https://www.eiropasgadakoks.lv/balsojums-1
https://www.eiropasgadakoks.lv/balsojums-1
### 15 November seminar “Sustainability in practice: EUDR and CO₂ emission management”
https://www.zemeunvalsts.lv/seminars-ilgtspejiba-prakse-eudr-un-co-izmesu-parvaldiba-/4891
https://www.zemeunvalsts.lv/seminars-ilgtspejiba-prakse-eudr-un-co-izmesu-parvaldiba-/4891
### 16 November educational walk in the “Augstroze” nature reserve
### 25 November a literary and musical composition "Feelings Games" by pianist Andrejs Osokins and actor Gundars Āboliņš at the Column Hall of Jaunmoku Palace
On the official
In the second half of spring 2023, Latvia was hit by very strong, prolonged frosts and cold spells, which were joined in the summer by prolonged drought and heat, with destructive storms with heavy rain and large hail raging in many places. Unfortunately, in addition to the adverse weather conditions, the situation in the European, global and Latvian markets deteriorated, significantly lowering the prices at which Latvian farmers and food producers could sell their grown and manufactured produce.
The Ministry of Agriculture informs that in accordance with Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 641 of 7 November 2023, “Regulations on the granting of European Union emergency support to farmers in the fruit and berry, dairy and beef cattle, sheep, goat and horse farming sectors”
On the important
We invite you to give this one month to Latvia in a real way. To Latvian land, Latvian products and Latvian farmers. Is it in your power to eat Latvian products for one month? Replace lemons with quinces, bananas with apples. Chia seeds with hemp. Foreign sweet potatoes with our own butternut squash. Rice with pearl barley.
On sector and related industry events
JSC “Latvijas valsts meži” (LVM) has been recognised as the third most valuable company in Latvia in 2023, according to this year’s top list of the most valuable companies compiled by “Nasdaq Riga” and “Prudentia”. The value of LVM has reached 2.206 billion euros.
https://www.diena.lv/raksts/latvija/politika/krauze-uzdod-parbaudit-gerharda-laika-slegtu-7-miljonu-eiro-vertu-it-pakalpojumu-ligumu-14308060
In a meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture, farmers emphasised their dissatisfaction with the numerous reports on work done in the fields. Farmers are also dissatisfied with the unfinished new system, which prevents approximately 3,000 farms from entering the necessary data into the European system and receiving payments.
"I cannot find where the felling of old forests is mentioned in the National Energy and Climate Plan," said Melnis, commenting on information that has appeared in the media that it is planned to promote the felling of old forests in Latvia to achieve climate goals.
Manufacturers of coniferous construction materials have encountered a significant drop in demand for their products and consequently prices in European and Asian markets, while they are forced to buy the logs required for production from the Latvian State Forests manager at prices from good times, as a result of which competitiveness is lost and alarm bells are being rung, hoping for the involvement of ministers and the government to normalise the situation.
...the season has been extremely unfavourable for the fruit-growing sector. A late and cold spring with almost eight days of frost in May destroyed almost all crops in fruit tree and berry plantations. As a result of the frost, there are almost no local cranberries, blueberries, cherries, spring raspberries, plums, quinces and sea buckthorns in Latvia this year.
On environmental issues
Mazupīte had not been restored for more than 50 years; it had a high water level, which hindered the operation of drainage systems. The negative impact on the watercourse was caused by drainage measures, man-made stone piles, cow watering spots, siltation, litter, waste, diffuse pollution, beaver dams, etc., which did not ensure ecological quality in the watercourse, reduced the area of rapids, restricted the migration of migratory fish upstream and reduced the area of potential spawning grounds.
Experts emphasised that it is important not to interrupt soil research in Latvia in order to ensure the continuity of information already obtained and so that existing data can be used in the future. This means that after a few years, when opening one of today’s documents, one must understand why such a document was created and what the data in it mean.
The State Environmental Service (VVD) points out that more than 3,000 reports of various types of environmental violations have been received in the Vides SOS app this year. Compared to the third quarter of last year, the number of reports has grown by 26%. Residents of Riga and the Riga region are the most active in reporting illegal waste dumping in forests via the app.
The goal of the project is to strengthen the capacity of Latvian nature experts in bryology.
With the start of the active spawning of salmonids – salmon, trout, sea trout, grayling and whitefish – in Latvian rivers, the administration’s state environmental inspectors are paying increased attention to salmon rivers in protected nature areas and the harvesting of salmonid fish.
The success of raising four cubs in brown bear families is facilitated by good feeding conditions, as well as the still relatively low population and the freely available territory in Latvia, reveals Jānis Ozoliņš, a leading researcher at the Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava".
There are currently at least 70 brown bears (Ursus arctos) living in Latvia. Wild bears, which are not aggressive on a daily basis and mostly avoid encounters with humans, will go into hibernation over the coming weeks and will not wake up until next spring. Even now, adult bears with cubs can be seen on observation cameras, feeding before their winter sleep. Therefore, the Nature Conservation Agency urges people not to disturb the animals unnecessarily.
The Investment and Development Agency of Latvia is pushing the Latvian and Estonian offshore wind farm Elwind. A part of our nature and culture will be given away to foreign investors. They are planning 300-metre-tall wind generators near Jūrkalne. They will be located 15 km from the coast, even though 50 km are needed so that they cannot be seen.
The nature trail built 10 years ago in the Great Ķemeri Bog is outdated and the boards of the boardwalks are starting to rot. We learn from the Nature Conservation Agency that the condition of the trail is regularly inspected and damage is repaired, but the question of where to find funds for this in the future is becoming increasingly relevant. Financial resources are running out, but as the trail wears out, repair work is needed more often.
Salmon rivers are divided into several types. There are natural ones, where salmon are found that spawn and reproduce in the wild. In Latvia, these are the Salaca, Vitrupe, Pēterupe, Irbe, Užava, Saka and Bārta. Then there are the salmon rivers Gauja, Daugava and Venta, where, alongside wild salmon, juvenile fish raised in hatcheries, or smolts, are also released. Salmonids head to spawn in the place where they were born, therefore also to smaller rivers or tributaries of large rivers.
On the economy and obstacles
According to the terms of the project, it was intended to build an industrial building and make it publicly accessible for general use by companies operating in any industrial sector.
Līvāni, Valmiera and now Valka – law enforcement officers visiting a third municipality in similar cases is described as a systemic problem by both the former mayor of Valka and the European prosecutor. However, each has a different vision of exactly what that is. The rules on how to find companies that will work in production buildings built with European fund support are confusing or are being deliberately violated for selfish purposes.
On the economy
The total funding for the support programme is 26,548,890 euros. The programme will be implemented by the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA).
Combating the shadow economy in Latvia has been on the to-do list of many governments. But why is it not succeeding? Economist Arnis Sauka assesses this in a major interview on Krustpunktā.
Before the formation of the new government, President Edgars Rinkēvičs set a goal that Latvia should reach the average prosperity level of European Union countries within six years, i.e., by 2030. However, economists argue that this will not be easy to do, and a more realistic deadline for Latvia to reach the average level of EU economic development would be around 2040.
It is intended that the State Competitiveness Commission will provide support to the President of the State in the implementation of the functions specified in the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia and will develop proposals for strengthening national competitiveness in the fields of education, science and entrepreneurship.
Deposits of nickel, copper, as well as platinum group metals in Latvia are not a utopia, believes Associate Professor Ģirts Stinkulis, head of the Department of Geology of Basement Rocks at the Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences of the University of Latvia (LU). Previously, Andris Bite, a geologist living in Canada and vice president of the company Ginguro Exploration, also pointed to the possibilities of extracting these metals. He, in cooperation with specialists at Latvian universities, concluded that it is worth continuing research in this area.
On traffic
Lithuanian and Estonian railway companies announced last week that they plan to start passenger services on the Vilnius–Riga and Tartu–Riga routes next year. The carriers still need to certify the rolling stock that will travel to Latvia, install suitable communication systems, and also certify their personnel. The Latvian Ministry of Transport (SM) indicated that initiatives for passenger train traffic from Vilnius and Tartu to Riga are supported; the question is only about the costs.
In order to improve the accessibility of public transport, increase the number of passengers served by public transport in Riga and create an environmentally friendly, well-developed transport system, design work has begun for the extension of the No. 7 tram line from the current "Dole" tram terminus to the Maskavas–Višķu street intersection.
Even though it is clear that the construction of the European-gauge railway line “Rail Baltica” has become significantly more expensive compared to the initial plans, precise calculations of the costs will only be available next year, when the design of all objects is completed.
From now on, the Brasas bridge can be used by pedestrians, cyclists, public transport and cars. Previously, tram traffic across the Brasas bridge was gradually restored. From today, the No. 9 bus will also start running across the Brasas overpass.
The Gaisa bridge, or the so-called VEF bridge in Riga, could be without cobblestones in the future and have a wider bicycle and pedestrian path, it was announced today at an online event of the Department of Outdoor Space and Mobility regarding the development of the Gaisa bridge reconstruction project. Expanded pavements and a bike path, as well as contact line poles moved outside the traffic space, were mentioned as one of the foreseen solutions.
On the interesting and diverse
A new record of participants in the environmental education programme for primary schools “Forest Masterclass” announced by JSC “Latvijas valsts meži” (LVM) – this school year, 11,922 students from 218 Latvian schools will participate in it, and teachers of science or environmental education clubs will help students learn about the forest.
The fence around Victory Park has been removed. It has only been left in the section along Bāriņu Street so that visitors after the concert scheduled for Saturday do not walk into the park onto the newly levelled ground where grass has been sown. Builders and gardeners have been working here day and night in the last few days. Passers-by are currently watching from a distance.
Suntaži station was opened in 1935. It was destroyed during the war, but soon after the war, a new, smaller station building was built. However, in 2009, along with the dismantling of the tracks, it was closed.
On geopolitical issues
I would like to call on all residents of Latvia not to tire in their support for Ukraine, because Ukraine is truly fighting our fight. And if we do not want to see more graves among us and, God forbid, hostilities here as well, then please, let us not tire in our support for Ukraine and continue this good work.
If there is Herman Samson Street instead of Anna Sakse Street, it will still be "I live in Mežaparks".
It is also worth mentioning the material released in October by Current Time TV about Hungarians in Ukraine’s Zakarpattia region. Interestingly, every single ethnic Hungarian interviewed confirms that they feel they belong to Ukraine (including those who have dual, Hungarian citizenship), that they wish for Ukraine’s victory in the war, but refrain from criticising Orbán. Why?
Current events in cartoons
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