We explain - Zeme un valsts
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Latest articles

Latvijas Banka issues a symbolic collector coin, "Chestnut"
The European Innovation Act and the forest bioeconomy – what can Latvian forestry gain from it?
The “Trojan Horse” of Turkish Plywood – Growing Concerns Among European Timber Producers
Nature Conservation Agency invites donations for the restoration of nature tourism infrastructure damaged by the storm

Poll

Concern about gaps in the skills and knowledge of our pupils is voiced quite widely from time to time. Unfortunately, only when someone from outside Latvia has concluded as much. Why is that?
There is a political tendency to be busy, to invest, to make promises, but not to think about the results
If you have little knowledge yourself, you do not even know how or what you do not know...
A smart society is not always desirable or welcome
Many interests swirl around education. A "good result" is rarely mentioned among them

A lighter note

“Why are the trees here so big?”

VIDEO

Collector coin “Chestnut”
Trees on agricultural land – perennial plantations, short-rotation coppice or agroforestry?!
The Baltics in the Kremlin's sights. How serious is the threat?

We explain

Irish experience helps Latvian municipalities plan the future of historic peat extraction sites

Product complexity and the circular economy – how to further unlock competitive potential

Which are Latvia’s most attractive employers and what is the portrait of an attractive employer?

Risk of collisions with young storks rises at the end of summer

State forest land as compensation in the implementation of projects of public importance

Share of organically farmed land reaches 40% in two Latvian municipalities for the first time in history

The Baltics and Climate Neutrality: Where Do We Stand?

Depozīta punkts explains: where does the 10 cents go if deposit packaging is not returned to the system?

IKEA tightens wood-origin checks across Europe and beyond

The Vidzeme Planning Region seeks a balance between solar energy and biodiversity in degraded peat extraction areas

Wood resources must be conserved through reuse

EY: geopolitics and security factors have the greatest impact on Baltic investment attractiveness

Hunting in Northern Europe and its decisive role in the development of society

What Should Kuldīga Residents, Kuldīga and Neighbouring Municipalities Expect from the Law on the Preservation and Protection of Kuldīga Old Town?

A mysterious “cold onslaught” from more than ten thousand years ago

Survey: real estate, gold and the third pension pillar – what Latvia’s residents consider the most worthwhile investments

Amid growing uncertainty, company leaders choose disciplined growth and investment in artificial intelligence

Almost half of small business owners report: customers have become far more price-sensitive

Ecosystem service credits, natural capital and climate funds – purposeful development under way

A lifeline for Europe's chemical industry – green materials, carbon capture and green hydrogen

The Nordic countries join forces to speed up the green and digital transition through standards

The policy and specifics of the FSC and PEFC forest certification systems, their philosophy and how they work in practice

Over ten years inflation in Latvia has “eaten” more than half the purchasing power of money
In three years Latvia has reached the highest number of jobs created by foreign investment in the Baltics
Training seminars in Vidzeme stress the growing importance of climate aspects in municipal projects
Only a fifth of Latvia’s residents view the use of artificial intelligence in communication positively
State forest management in the Baltics and the Nordics – what unites and what differs?
For a large share of Latvia’s residents utility bills exceed a third of monthly income
In a crisis, Europe’s resilience is built by its cities and regions
Rapeseed areas are shrinking: how can seed treatment improve the yield?
Europe’s path to the future: developing greener technologies and clean energy solutions
Maintaining hunting infrastructure in Latvia’s state forests
Robots – a revolution in agriculture
Not only woodworking and construction: doctors and cleaners suffer workplace injuries too
Use of woody biomass will drive the development of sustainable aviation fuel projects
The European Union is moving towards standardised packaging labelling – what does that mean in practice?
On the badger's trail in Latvia's forests
A proposal regarding the amendments put forward by the Ministry of Agriculture on lowering the felling age of trees
Latvijas Pilsoniskā alianse: 62% of residents recognise the importance of civil society organisations
In Latvia, campaigns against wind energy are often based on pseudoscience
About the European Grove in Talsi Municipality
Support for Europe's energy transition
The amount of waste sent for recycling by “Eco Baltia vide” in Riga has grown by 52% over the past five years
Almost a fifth of farmers ready to invest in quality seed
FSC certification alone will not be enough to meet the requirements of the European Union Deforestation Regulation
Revitalisation of historical peat extraction sites is needed in a third of municipal areas and around a quarter of privately owned areas
For Employers, Lithuania Is the Better Deal in the Baltics
Damage caused to a car by an elk exceeds 83 thousand euros
Study reveals a troubling fact: in Latvia, exports are celebrated in words, not deeds
Cautious optimism prevails among small and medium-sized businesses, with taxes and energy prices holding them back
Latvian food producers have the potential to win over export markets with their products
The Latvian Orienteering Federation objects to plans to charge for holding competitions in the countryside
On the environmental impact assessment report for the construction of the 330 kV Ventspils – Brocēni – Varduva/Telši power transmission line
Restoring bogs can deliver both climate change mitigation and economic opportunities. New research challenges earlier estimates
Birch plywood for safety and defence
In the jungle of terminology – old forest, old stands, ancient forest, historical forest…
Are winter crops safe under a thick blanket of snow?
The international climate policy framework is under close scrutiny – the forest sector is the key to the solution
Agnis Graudulis's lectures and webinars on and around forests and trees
Sustainable debt? It sounds complicated, but you can understand it!
New study shows that US national debt per head of population is currently 7.5 times higher than China's
The main cause of emissions in tropical forests is small clearings
Timber as a resource in a time of change: balancing nature, the economy and security
Local authorities will have to hear residents' views even before drafting a local plan
Survey: people in Latvia keep cash at home more often than in neighbouring countries
Latvia's sustainable energy technology development plan through to 2035
Over the last 35 years, Latvia has been one of the world's leaders in reducing emissions!
What lies ahead for Latvia's economy in 2026?
One in three residents supports the development of wind farms in Latvia next year – especially those with higher incomes
The pygmy owl chosen as Bird of the Year 2026
The Ministry of Agriculture's most significant achievements in 2025
Removing veteran trees damaged by storms must also be approved
Ending the year with ESG – from climate targets to simpler rules
Europe and the United States are becoming ever more dependent on China and the global South
Latvia strengthens its position in the European open data maturity assessment
2025 in Latvian grain farming – the sector is in a zone of transition and risk
The reins of export growth are in the hands of re-exports
In digitalisation we are a step ahead of others. To keep it that way, we must work!
Price levels fell slightly in November
CapMan Natural Capital sells forest assets in Latvia and Lithuania to Inter IKEA Group
Sowing and planting: more than 14.7 thousand hectares of state forest regenerated this year
Insights from forest sector bioeconomy experts – a major talking point in Brussels
The use of lead in ammunition. An overview of the issue and the latest developments
Survey: in Latvia it is mainly young people who think “green”
The Tropical Forest Forever Facility has been established. Protecting and restoring forests will require more than 66.7 billion US dollars a year
European timber producers join forces to halt the trade in Russian “blood timber” in Europe
Carbon capture and utilisation, or how to turn carbon emissions into valuable resources
The forest sector's contribution to the climate. Europe
EU countries reach agreement on 2040 target, Latvia's interests taken into account
Latvia's forest sector – a backbone of export capacity with high added value
The 2026 budget: with fewer funds, the European Union cannot achieve more
State Audit Office findings on state forest management expected in spring
On the state's circulation, which must not "hang"
Municipal capacity – the key to building a climate-resilient future
Sustainable land use is a complex issue that requires cooperation across different levels and sectors
The forest of the future: European trade union leaders gather at an international seminar in Riga
Starting a timber sales business is easy; keeping it successful is hard
Are certified seeds a safety cushion for farmers in a changing climate?
Heavy penalties imposed for destroying veteran trees
The climate target has become a political “battlefield”
Austria, Luxembourg and Germany criticise the European Union's Deforestation Regulation: “it is unworkable”
Turning pulp mill emissions into renewable value
No, carbon markets are not a moral failure! Abolishing them would be
Fighting forest fires in an age of climate change – innovations in Finland
Yield volume and the final grain price are currently the great unknown
FSC Europe: Latvia is becoming a pioneer in certifying forest ecosystem services
About the Council of Europe Landscape Award
Latgale's largest environmental education event, "Zaļā klase 2025", brings together 2000 schoolchildren
Sharp growth in mortgage lending – in Latvia's property market, the regions are closing in on Riga's pace
The Enterprise Europe Network in Latvia begins a new phase running to 2028
US loggers on the European Union's Deforestation Regulation: "The music has stopped, the dancing is over."
Technology for Latvia's defence and security
Cutting emissions in timber haulage
Lodging, fusarium and flooded fields – what is this summer teaching us about the future of farming?
A domino effect in agriculture – the delayed harvest season threatens the next one too
The Ombudsman's Office insists on a comprehensive review of the system of property encumbrances and compensation, and turns to the government once again
The working person is the state's most valuable asset
EU Deforestation Regulation requirements do not apply to wooden pallets and packaging
Real estate in a specially protected nature territory
No farmer was prepared for weather like this – valuable crops end up as animal feed
Estonian Business School summer school explores the future of artificial intelligence and the Green Deal
Summary. The European Union wants to achieve net zero emissions through legislation