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• |Latvia
• |Environment

CO2-Emissions

Environmental protection policy in Latvia is implemented by the Ministry of Environment. In 2008, a new Environmental policy strategy for 2009-2015 is under development. This new strategy is based on the previous Environmental Protection Policy Plan for Latvia for the period of 2004-2008. Out of this plan the Environmental Protection Action Program and Investment Programs for the environmental sector were developed. The core aim of the present environmental policy is to reduce emissions and waste generation from energy and industrial production. Several policy documents have been developed and implemented in order to reach the mentioned policy aim:

• Climate Changes Mitigation Program 2005-2010
• Latvian Sustainable Development Policy
• State Waste Management Plan for 2006-2012

With regard to the integration of environment into other policies, Latvia continues to implement the action programme for sustainable development adopted by all Baltic Sea countries within the framework of Agenda 21 for the Baltic Sea region. A Council for sustainable development was established in March 2002, chaired by the Prime Minister. Environmental issues have been included in strategic documents of other sectors (such as agriculture, energy and fisheries). Many environment and city sustainability related activities are being implemented by the Council. An Environment and Sustanability Profile for Riga was developed and disseminated in 2007.[Ekodoma]

The main sectors generating the greatest amount of pollution are the energy sector (in 2006 it generated around 45% of total emissions), the transport sector (in 2006 generated 30.5% of total emissions, which showed an increase by almost 10% in comparison with the year 2005) and finally the agriculture (17.7%) and waste management sectors (6.8% in 2006).
By signing the Kyoto Protocol, Latvia undertook a goal to reach 8% reduction (compared to 1990) of emissions of greenhouse gases during 2008-2012. Latvia has developed a Joint Implementation Concept and Joint Implementation Strategy where Latvia has declared which projects would be of the greatest interest:

• Increase of energy efficiency
• Use of renewable energy sources
• Installation of cogeneration units
• Increase of CO2 removals.

Latvia’s CO2 Emission per capita remain the lowest among the Baltic states. Latvia has signed and ratified United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the linking Kyoto Protocol. The total emissions in Latvia - from the inventory-2008 prepared by Latvian Environmental Agency - were as follows:

• in 1990 – 26.45 million tCO2 equivalent
• in 1992 – 19.20 million t CO2 equivalent
• in 1995 – 12.49 million t CO2 equivalent
• in 1996 – 12.91 million t CO2 equivalent
• in 2000 – 10.02 million t CO2 equivalent
• in 2001 – 10.66 million t CO2 equivalent
• in 2004 – 10.83 million t CO2 equivalent
• in 2006 – 11.62 million t CO2 equivalent.

The main sectors generating the greatest amount of pollution are the energy sector (in 2006 it generated around 45% of total emissions), the transport sector (in 2006 generated 30.5% of total emissions, which showed an increase by almost 10% in comparison with the year 2005) and finally the agriculture (17.7%) and waste management sectors (6.8% in 2006).

By signing the Kyoto Protocol, Latvia undertook a goal to reach 8% reduction (compared to 1990) of emissions of greenhouse gases during 2008-2012. Latvia has developed a Joint Implementation Concept and Joint Implementation Strategy where Latvia has declared which projects would be of the greatest interest:

• Increase of energy efficiency;
• Use of renewable energy sources;
• Installation of cogeneration units;
• Increase of CO2 removals.

Moreover, in 2006 Latvia has approved the Conception on Participation in International Emission Trading (IET). The document foresees different alternatives for Latvian position regarding participation in the IET.

In March 2004, the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Latvia published the proposal for the National Allocation Plan (NAP), thus implementing the Emissions Trading Directive. The total quantity of allocated emission allowances of carbon dioxide for the period 2005 – 2007 was estimated at 13,7million. The allocation of the emission allowances was based on the data of greenhouse gas emissions originating mainly from the period 1996 - 2002. The NAP 2005-2007 contained totally 86 sources: 69 mandatory energy production plants and industrial installations and 17 opt-ins’ volunteer plants. The opt-in installations have been incorporated into the NAP on the basis of the Article 24 of the Emissions Trading Directive include district heating plants under 20 MW.

The NAP for the period 2008-2012 was published for proposal in October 2006 and forecasted 38.48 (7.7 million allowances a year) millions emission allowances. 95 energy production plants and industrial installations were included in the plan, 21 one of which were voluntary installation. However, in November 2006 the European Commission took a decision to reject the Latvian NAP and to allow allocation of 3.3 million emission allowances a year. Based on the EC decision, Latvia made ammendments to the NAP and allocated 4.082 emission allowances (in total 20.4 million emission allowances) that were approved by Cabinet of Ministers on 28 of December 2006. Latvia is still awaiting the new decision of the European Commission. [Ekodoma]

Air pollution

Latvias obligations according to the requirements of the European Thematic Strategy are as follows: the reduction of nitric oxide emissions by 27%, sulphur dioxide emissions by 25%, and volatile organic emissions by 17% in comparison with year 2000 .

The air quality in Latvia is influenced by stationary and mobile emission pollution sources as well as transboundary pollution, which amounts as much as local air pollution. Air pollution from stationary emission sources has slightly decreased due to reduction of production in industries and implementation of energy efficiency measures. However in the same time emissions from transport sector (especially nitrogen oxides) have increased because of increase of number of vehicles and traffic intensity. Another reason of increase of emissions in transport sector is due to the fact that there are a lot of old vehicles produced in eighties and nineties without treatment systems of exhaust gases.

Monitoring of air pollution in Latvia and initial assessment is performed by the Latvian Hydrometeorological Agency. There were 9 monitoring stations located throughout Latvia in 2007. They have concluded that the most serious pollution creates nitrogen oxides, hard particles and ground level ozone.