On the IUFRO Congress
Early-bird registration for the IUFRO XXVI World Congress is open until 15 January
On the official
The State Audit Office Council has approved 13 new performance audit topics and 3 compliance audit topics for 2024, which it will initiate in addition to the 27 financial audits mandated by law. Work also continues on 40 previously initiated audits. In its new audits, the State Audit Office will continue to focus on assessing human capital issues in sectors where long-standing and unresolved problems persist, as well as examining state budget expenditures and revenues in strategic areas, and matters concerning the Green Deal and climate neutrality.
On 12 January, Minister for Agriculture Armands Krauze will go on a working visit to Estonia, where he will meet with the Estonian Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture, Madis Kallas (Madis Kallas), in Paide. Both ministers will discuss Latvian-Estonian cooperation and their common position regarding the ban on the import of Russian grain and other agricultural products into the European Union.
On 9 January, the Cabinet of Ministers (CM) approved draft laws developed by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development (VARAM), which define the actions and institutional functions for limiting and eradicating invasive non-native species in the country.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a draft regulation prepared by VARAM, which establishes the procedure for State Environmental Service (VVD) officials to conduct test purchases in the future, thereby more effectively preventing and terminating the provision of non-compliant waste management services.
The Bureaucracy Award ‘24 is an invitation for the public to draw attention to absurd bureaucratic procedures and requirements that could be abandoned, saving time and money for residents, entrepreneurs, as well as the employees of state and municipal institutions themselves.
On industry issues
On 14 December 2023, the Saeima passed amendments to the State Forest Service Law; this normative act has been promulgated and will come into effect on 12 January 2024.
The council of JSC “Latvijas valsts meži” has approved the company's 2024 budget.
In connection with the mass outbreak of the European spruce bark beetle, the Director General of the State Forest Service has declared a situation of mass bark beetle infestation in forests across the territory of Latvia until the end of 2024. This means that economic activity restrictions will be in force in protected zones of valuable spruce stands during the period from 1 April to 31 August 2024.
Investing nearly one million euros, SIA Jaunzeltiņi has installed a timber planing line, which has already become a significant addition to their timber processing — impregnation — operations; this allows them to look to the future with hope in a situation where there are signs of recession in almost all major sales markets.
Continuing to support Ukraine and its people in the fight against the aggressor's invasion, SIA “Rīgas meži” will donate 12 vehicles — Lada 4x4 pickup trucks — to the defenders of the war-torn country.
The State Police have received information that an unidentified person has cut down trees in a state forest in Taurkalne, Valle Parish, Bauska Municipality.
On the economy
Although globally, industry is only the fourth largest polluter of greenhouse gases, trailing behind the energy, transport, and agricultural sectors, the green transition is actively taking place in European industry, driven by the Green Deal and the EU's industrial strategy. What is happening in this area in Latvia?
Compared to entrepreneurs in Lithuania and Estonia, employers in Latvia have the longest sick pay payment period and the highest total amounts, to which the costs of replacing the ill employee must also be added.
On the successful
Tetra Pak and dairy processing company Valio are launching a new tethered cap containing 30% certified recycled polymers. This is the first cap of its kind to be sold in Northern Europe, and it represents an innovation in recycling.
On environmental issues
The State Environmental Service (VVD) received more than 8,300 reports from residents about various environmental violations during 2023. The number of reports increases every year; in this period, approximately 4% more reports were received than in 2022.
https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/latvija/07.01.2024-petijums-pesticidu-atliekas-atrodamas-gandriz-visos-pern-nemtajos-ziedputeksnu-paraugos.a537982/
The goal of the study is to determine the impact of substances contained in pesticides on the environment, water, and food quality, as well as to investigate the safe and sustainable use of pesticides. This type of research was provided for in the action plan for the sustainable use of plant protection products adopted three years ago. Action plans had to be developed by all European Union (EU) member states. At the time, however, Latvia did not commit to reducing pesticide use in its plan.
The deer from the “Rīgas meži” deer park are being transported to a farm in Vidzeme, the Executive Director of Riga City, Jānis Lange, informed at a press conference today.
He emphasised that a solution has been found for how to close the deer park and where to place the animals so that they are not killed. As confirmed to the LETA agency by the company “Rīgas meži”, the majority of the total of 48 deer have already been transported to Vidzeme.
Wetlands have been chosen as the 2024 habitat.
The Dzirciems and Iļģuciems Neighbourhood Association indicates on social media that the 4.02-metre-tall lime tree with a trunk circumference of 1.3 metres was cut down with the permission of the Nature Conservation Agency. Specialists had determined that one of the two trunk axes had split off, making both unstable. Rot was detected at the base of the tree trunk. After evaluating the tree's condition, it was concluded that the tree was dangerous.
On snipe-hunting
This heatwave in Latvia is due to climate change. This storm in Latvia is a consequence of climate change. This drought in Latvia was caused by climate change. Climate change this and climate change that. It has now been decades since climate change was blamed for even the smallest deviations from everyday weather.
The National Botanic Garden has successfully finished setting up the environmental education centre Botania, which will open its doors to visitors on 1st at 10.00 am.
On excellent competence
At the time, Jūrmala leased land to the company Beteks NK for real estate development; the company even began construction work, but it was later revealed that the land did not actually belong to the Jūrmala City Council, and furthermore, it should not have been leased for construction at all due to it being in a flood zone.
Things happen
Over the past 24 hours, thousands of households have experienced power outages. In some places, they lasted for hours. The company “Sadales tīkls” explains that the interruptions were caused by rapidly changing air temperatures. Residents of Iecava spent the most hours without electricity on Tuesday.
I use the word “disruption” when I think about the phenomenon that is referred to in English by the concept of disruption – changes in the normal order of things. Typically, if you want illustrative examples of what these changes to the natural order of things might be, you can think of technological innovations that have changed how we look at and interact with things.
If one had to draw a portrait of a Latvian teacher using only statistics on age and gender, it would be a woman over 50. Not all young teachers are eager to work in schools immediately after their studies. Conversely, others work while still studying. Although students are the saviours of many schools in situations where there is a critical shortage of hands, universities are not exactly happy that students are already working without having completed their training process.
As a source of information, the media used data from the Russian-controlled media outlet RIA Novosti for 2022 and the first ten months of 2023. The data indicates that Germany was the largest supplier of beer to Russia last year, with supply volumes accounting for more than a third of all Russian beer imports. This was followed by Lithuania, which in terms of beer supplies in 2023 accounted for more than 15% of all exporters.
Current events in cartoons
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