Editor's note
International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics
Thursday, 28.03.2024, 09:59
SDGs in national economy: Latvian strategy
Latvian government
needs a solid national program for a perspective growth in view of the
sustainable development goals (SDGs), which are becoming an integral part of national
strategies. Most worrying is that Latvia has a rather unsatisfactory position
among the EU member states in implementing SDGs.
Global and European
researchers have specified three main trends in a modern society’s development:
green growth, preventing negative impact
on climate change and sustainability.
The EU leaders’
message for the European 2019-24 strategic development program (adopted in
June 2019, which include four main directions) specify two most important in
this regard: a) developing stronger economic bases in the member states, and b)
building a climate-neutral, green, fair and social Europe. More in: “New
Strategic Programme 2019-2024”: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/06/20/a-new-strategic-agenda-2019-2024/
The need for additional science and research
However, in order to combine all the mentioned elements in a
national strategy, Latvian government needs a serious scientific analysis towards
a practical implementation of these “major elements” into the national
developmental plan.
Climate action must be seen by the Latvian decision-makers
as an integral part and “instrument” in other important national socio-economic
policy objectives, such as promoting sustainable economic development,
improving energy security and addressing air pollution impacts on human health.
For example, the new EU energy policy framework called
"Clean Energy for All Europeans package" empowers European
consumers to become active players in the energy transition. It fixes two new
targets for the EU states by 2030: a) binding renewable energy target
of at least 32%, b) an energy efficiency target of at least 32.5% - with
a revision in 2023. For the electricity market, it confirms the 2030
interconnection target of 15%, an increase from the 10% target for 2020.
These ambitious aims will stimulate the states’ industrial competitiveness,
boost growth and jobs, reduce energy bills and improve air quality.
Implementing these aims would lead to emission reductions in the EU states by some
45% in 2030 relative to 1990 (compared to the existing target of a 40%
reduction).
Reference: https://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/topics/energy-strategy-and-energy-union/clean-energy-all-europeans
Latvian
“developmental impetus” to green-house-gas emissions and CO2 is quite small
presently, compared to other states; but still coordinated efforts and research
at the national level are needed to evaluate climate change efforts on Latvian
economy sectors. Priorities in climate change efforts shall be strongly reflected
in the Latvian central and regional agendas. Particular attention in Latvian economic policy shall be given to
transport sector, agriculture, tourism, to name a few, as well as to regional
development, manufacturing processes and SMEs activities in their impact on
climate change. Effect of these efforts for Latvia is evident: only
by adapting now patterns, Latvian enterprises and SMS can be competitive and
Latvian society at large be resilient to future chocks.
The cooperative efforts of all partners will provide for a
strong foundation on which to build the Latvian “Climate Action Plan”
committed to achieving a net zero carbon energy systems objective and creating
a resilient, vibrant and sustainable economy. It is first of all the government
in general and the economic affairs ministry’s efforts in particular that would
take the lead on this agenda in defining a roadmap to the noble goal and
initiating a coherent set of national policy actions.
The role of Latvian academic community
As the “voice of Latvian scientific community”, Latvian
Academy of Sciences, LZA is willing to assist economic policy’s decision-makers
in cross-sectoral approaches to
providing most appropriate nation-wide solution to urgent political issues. The
common efforts will provide for the optimal Latvian political economy
guidelines in regard to global and European climate change challenges. It
is already clear that the Nordic states have shown a sub-regional cooperation
in sustainability and circular economy as an important impetus to climate
change. Latvian efforts can be an integral part in both the Scandinavian-wide
approach, as well as in the Baltic Sea region, in resolving modern national and
regional issues.
Regardless of the
fact that the EU summit in June 2019 could not reach a unanimous decision on
CO2-nutral EU by 2050, several EU states have already approved fundamental structural changes leading to national
budget’s allocations and public spending towards climate actions.
Latvian national development plan shall reflect the
country’s commitment to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
agreed by the United Nations in 2015. The 17 SDGs are addressing the
environmental, economic, and social challenges that all states need to tackle
by 2030 to ensure a sustainable future.
For example, the SDG-13 calls on countries’ governments to “take urgent action to combat climate change
and its impacts”, by improving public awareness of the need for climate
action. Crucially, SDG-13 also calls on countries to integrate effective
climate action measures into national policies. Numerous European countries
(including three Baltic States) have been already drafting their climate action
plans cross key economy sectors including, mainly, electricity, transport,
construction sector, industry and agriculture and charting national actions
towards ambitious decarbonisation targets.
Latvian academic community within the LZA’s framework can
suggest some preliminary actions as the expected changes will involve both the
general Latvian economy issues and that of some sectoral ministries. For
example, most vital and pertinent are the following actions:
- in electricity sector,
the changes will involve increasing reliance in electricity production on
renewables from about 40% to 70% (Latvia is already among the leaders in
renewables in electricity after Sweden and Finland);
- in construction
– introduction of stricter requirements for new buildings and in substantial
refurbishments, with new district heating systems and measures for higher
standards of building fabric and central-local heating systems;
- in agriculture
– supporting diversification in land-use to develop sustainable and circular
value chains with the business models for lower carbon intensity farming,
including, organic production, protection and enhancement of biodiversity and
water quality, as well as production of bio-based products and bioenergy;
- in transport- a
significant shift away from internal combustion engine vehicles: e.g. the task
of having about one third of all vehicles sold during the coming decade with the
Battery Electric Vehicles or Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles, and increase the
renewable biofuel content of motor fuels; the increase in the use of biofuels
will involve resetting of national economic development priorities;
- in services and
SMEs – mobilizing clusters both regionally and sectorally to become centers
of excellence for the adoption of low carbon technologies;
- in waste management
- developing coherent reduction strategies for plastics, food waste, and
resource use.
Latvian political economy has to integrate the mentioned
changes into existing budget plans, create the regulatory requirements, market
incentives and innovative space to achieve the said objectives. In order to
meet climate pledges and overcome political, economic and social barriers to achieve
the rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions both the national policy and
“social contract” shall be in place. Generally, a “perspective shift” is needed
to bring climate change requirements and peoples’ well-being into a synchronized
political-economy’s process.
Latvian
socio-economic development is lagging behind its southern and northern
neighbors on almost all positions: on GDP per capita, in competition and in
“happiness” rankings, to name a few. But to implement SDGs, the National
decision-makers have to concentrate all their efforts to fulfill the global
requirements.
Latvia has to be ambitious among both European and global
nations in implementing guidelines on green growth, sustainability and preventing
negative impact on climate.
Of course, it is up to the government (and, specifically, to the Prime Minister’s
office) as well as Latvian sectoral ministries to draft most optimal for Latvia
plan –both economically and socially – to implement the mentioned SDGs. The Latvian
scientific community acquiring all necessary knowledge offers a “helping hand”
to make the best for the country.