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Latvia National Focal Point Full Name of the Institution: Ministry of the Environmental Protection and Regional Development of Latvia

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Latvia National Focal Point Full Name of the Institution: Ministry of the Environmental Protection and Regional Development of Latvia 1 Please provide the following details on the origin of this report. Contracting Party Latvia National Focal Point Full name of the institution: Ministry of the Environmental Protection and Regional Development of Latvia Name and title of contact Ms Ilona Jepsen officer: Director of the Department Mailing address: Peldu str. 25, LV – 1494, Riga Latvia Telephone: +371 7 026517 Fax: +371 7 820442 E-mail: [email protected] Submission Signature of officer responsible for submitting national report: Date of submission: 2 Please provide summary information on the process by which this report has been prepared, including information on the types of stakeholders who have been actively involved in its preparation and on material which was used as a basis for the report Report has been prepared by involving several groups of stakeholders. Specialists within the relevant ministries were considered as one of the most important groups of stakeholders. Meetings and consultations with authorities in the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development were organised to collect information on ongoing activities and projects. The individual discussions with specialists from the Department of Nature Protection, Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Tourism gave the necessary information for the report. Meetings, individual consultations and discussions with specialists from the Ministry of Agriculture were organised and that gave an important input to the process of preparation of this report. Scientists and experts within the field of biodiversity have been identified as another important group of stakeholders. Research activities on biological issues are concentrated in the Institutes and departments of University of Latvia. Experts of Institute of Biology, Department of Botany and Plant Ecology, Department of Zoology and Animal Ecology are carrying out important part of taxonomic research programmes. Studies of genetical diversity are also concentrated in the University of Latvia. National Botanical Gardens and Riga’s National Zoo are involved in ex-citu conservation programmes. Experts from all those institutions were interviewed, discussions and meetings were organised to compile the report. The analysis of National Programme on Biological Diversity, National Tourism Strategy, Forest Policy Plan, Agriculture Development Plan, existing legal system in the field of biodiversity was carried out to evaluate the current status of implementation of CBD, to make conclusions on priorities. Please provide information on any particular circumstances in your country that are relevant to understanding the answers to the questions in this report In the Republic of Latvia a relevant political and legal system for the successful implementation of the CBD has been developed. Necessary strategic documents and legal acts have been developed to reach the main goals of the Convention. On 5th June 1992, Latvia signed the CBG, which was ratified in 1995 by the Saeima (Parliament) of Latvia. This confirmed the willingness to adhere to the convention and to integrate it into national policy. In 1995, the Cabinet of the Republic of Latvia accepted the “National Environmental Policy Plan for Latvia”. The environmental Protection Policy goals, besides those regarding environmental quality, are to maintain the current level of biological diversity, ensure sustainable use of natural resources, and to create a basis for sustainable development. The policy envisages integration of environmental protection policy into all sectors of the economy (into economy in general as well as into sector strategic plans, 3 and policy) and to promote the public awareness of the issue. To co-ordinate implementation of State interests and international commitments, the Cabinet of Ministers (10th February 1999) accepted Regulation On Implementation of the 5th June 1992 Rio de Janeiro Convention on Biological Diversity, under which an inter-Ministry Commission was formed. The Cabinet of Ministers accepted National Programme on Biological Diversity as strategic document on 1st February 2000. The programme consists of Strategy Section and nature conservation action plan – list of Actions. This document formulates strategic goals and lists the main measures to solve the problems in the field of biological diversity. The COP has established programmes of work that respond to a number of Articles. Please identify the relative priority accorded to each theme and the adequacy of resources. This will allow subsequent information on implementation of each Article to be put into context. There are other questions on implementation of the programmes of work at the end of these guidelines. Inland water ecosystems 1. What is the relative priority for implementation of this work programme in your country? a) High b) Medium x c) Low d) Not relevant 2. To what extent are the resources available adequate for meeting the obligations and recommendations made? a) Good b) Adequate c) Limiting x d) Severely limiting Marine and coastal biological diversity 3. What is the relative priority for implementation of this work programme in your country? a) High b) Medium x c) Low d) Not relevant 4. To what extent are the resources available adequate for meeting the obligations and recommendations made? a) Good b) Adequate c) Limiting x d) Severely limiting 4 Agricultural biological diversity 5. What is the relative priority for implementation of this work programme in your country? a) High x b) Medium c) Low d) Not relevant 6. To what extent are the resources available adequate for meeting the obligations and recommendations made? a) Good b) Adequate c) Limiting d) Severely limiting x Forest biological diversity 7. What is the relative priority for implementation of this work programme in your country? a) High X b) Medium c) Low d) Not relevant 8. To what extent are the resources available adequate for meeting the obligations and recommendations made? a) Good b) Adequate c) Limiting d) Severely limiting x Biological diversity of dry and sub-humid lands 9. What is the relative priority for implementation of this work programme in your country? a) High b) Medium c) Low d) Not relevant x 10. To what extent are the resources available adequate for meeting the obligations and recommendations made? a) Good b) Adequate c) Limiting d) Severely limiting 5 Further comments on work programmes and priorities Issues of the work programmes are included in the National Programme of Biological Diversity (accepted by The Cabinet of Ministers on 1st February 2000). This strategic document is the basis for implementation of work programmes in national conditions. National Programme consists on two sections: Section I. Nature Protection and Section II. Sustainable use of biological resources. Nature protection Action Plan (List of Actions of National Programme on Biological Diversity) is included in Appendix 1. of the National Programme. Inland water ecosystems are included in the Part 3. Rivers and lakes (Section I.) and Part 15. Fishery (Section II). Accepted strategic goals are: conservation of swiftly flowing river stretches, ensure the function of ecological corridors along rivers, protect fish migratory roots, prevent the loss of sensitive species and communities, maintain species diversity and richness. Planned actions foresee to develop methods of assessment and renewal techniques of freshwater habitats. Development of databases on river hydrological and lake morphometric parameters is planned. Main issues of programme on marine and coastal biodiversity are included in relevant parts of National Programme. Most important strategic goals of the Part 1. Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga are: prevent further decline of macrophyte beds, decline in diversity of marine communities and species and changes in natural structure of communities. The goals for the coastal biodiversity are listed in the Part 2. Beaches and dunes. The reduction of the degradation process of beach and dune ecosystems is the most important goal. Public awareness issues, development of monitoring programmes, establishing of marine and coastal protected areas, compilation of management plans for particular sites are planned actions within Action Plan to reach the goals. The goals for the fishery sector in the Part 15.Fishery are: maintain ecosystem and habitat diversity, species diversity and population productivity. Issues of agricultural biodiversity are included in two parts of Section I. Nature Protection: Part 6. Crop fields and Part 7. Meadows and pastures. Strategic goals in these parts are maintenance of typical plant and animal communities of crop fields, semi-natural grasslands and pastures, protection of local crop varieties and livestock breed. Strategic goals for agricultural sector are formulated in Section II. Sustainable use of biological resources Part 14. Agriculture. Among others two goals are particularly important: to maintain the traditional rural landscape and to prevent a decrease in coverage of semi-natural grasslands. Several activities are included in 2 parts of Biodiversity Action plan. For maintenance of biodiversity in crop fields the stress is made on public awareness activities: publishing of the Code of Good Agricultural Practice and popularisation of this practice. Several planned actions are connected with research (studies of soil biodiversity) and monitoring (bird monitoring). In the field of management of semi-natural grasslands the national inventory has to be carried out, the
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