ZEMGALE PLANNING REGION SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2030 VECUMNIEKI MUNICIPALITY IECAVA MUNICIPALITY DOBELE MUNICIPALITY ZEMGALE SKRĪVERI MUNICIPALITY SKRĪVERI MUNICIPALITY OZOLNIEKI MUNICIPALITY KOKNESE MUNICIPALITY AUCE MUNICIPALITY KRUSTPILS MUNICIPALITY PĻAVIŅAS MUNICIPALITY AIZKRAUKLE MUNICIPALITY JELGAVA CITY BAUSKA MUNICIPALITY JĒKABPILS CITY JAUNJELGAVA MUNICIPALITY SALA MUNICIPALITY The booklet is VIESĪTE MUNICIPALITY nanced by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism programme 2009–2014 No. LV 07 “Capacity-building and Institutional Cooperation between Latvian and JELGAVA MUNICIPALITY RUNDĀLE MUNICIPALITY Norwegian Public Institutions, Local AKNĪSTE MUNICIPALITY JĒKABPILS MUNICIPALITY and Regional Authorities” project No. 4.3–24/NFI/INP–002 “Increasing territorial development planning capacities of planning regions and local governments of Latvia and elaboration of development planning documents” ZEMGALES PLĀNOŠANAS REĢIONS NERETA MUNICIPALITY MUNICIPALITY NERETA TĒRVETE MUNICIPALITY MUNICIPALITY TĒRVETE Local Governments of Latvia A region, municipality and city cannot develop isolated, detached from one another, from a common strategy of the state and development directions. Therefore, it is important Zemgale Planning that planning documents elaborated in regions are in close interaction, respecting the interests of inhabitants and Region national interests. Historically, Zemgale and its centre Jelgava have always had a great role in economic, educational and cultural life of Latvia. Considering the geographical location, the region unites the state’s eastern and western parts with Jelgava Iecava Skrīveri Koknese Sala Krustpils City Municipality Municipality Municipality Municipality Municipality highways, railway lines, and with comprehensive educational and cultural services. Dobele Ozolnieki Vecumnieki Aizkraukle Pļaviņas Jēkabpils Chairman of Zemgale Planning Region Municipality Municipality Municipality Municipality Municipality City An arranged environment, infrastructure, transport system, Development Council professional human resources trained according to the labour market requirements are the most important preconditions for the Andris Rāviņš economic development of the state and the region. A direction of the large cities – Jelgava and Jēkabpils – towards improvements of the oer of industrial and business development and qualitative education creates a favourable environment for living and investment attraction. The specialisation of the economic development of Zemgale region remains unchanged – it is agriculture and processing of its products, as well as forestry, industry and tourism. Latvia University of Agriculture and vocational educational institutions have an important intellectual potential to achieve the development goals of Latvia and Zemgale. The main goals, development directions and tasks set by the Zemgale Planning Region Sustainable Development Strategy 2030 will ensure future economic growth, inhabitant wellbeing, an attractive environment, and competitiveness of the region. Tērvete Rundāle Jaunjelgava Viesīte Jēkabpils Municipality Municipality Municipality Municipality Municipality Auce Jelgava Bauska Nereta Aknīste Municipality Municipality Municipality Municipality Municipality ZEMGALE PLANNING REGION SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2030 5 Activity and Functions General Information of the Region about the Region Zemgale Planning Region in accordance with the area of responsibility provided by law: • Denes the fundamental principles, goals and with territorial development planning documents priorities of the strategy for sustainable of the regional level, as well as with the system of development of Zemgale Planning Region, development planning document regulations. coordinates activities to reach them. • Ensures the cooperation of the region’s local • In cooperation with local governments and public governments with institutions of the national level authorities, elaborates the regional development for the implementation of regional development Area Population Number of local planning documents, ensures that documents are support measures. governments mutually harmonised and accordant with the 2 • Evaluates the project applications submitted by 10 732 km 242 150 Sustainable Development Strategy of Latvia and local governments or individuals for the receipt of 16.6% of the total area 12.2% of the population of 22 local governments with the National Development Plan. state support for regional development and of Latvia /CSB/ Latvia of Latvia /CSB, 2015/ • Manages and monitors the elaboration and provides statements on them. implementation of regional development planning • Monitors whether laws and other standard acts in documents. public transport services are followed. • Coordinates and enhances elaboration, • Prepares proposals for the Council of the Public implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Transport and the State Ltd. ”Road Transport support measures for the planning region’s regional Administration” about planning and elaboration of development, regional project elaboration and routes of regional importance and about implementation. acceptance of the taris of public transport services. • Coordinates the cooperation of the region’s local • Claries and summarises opinions of local governments in matters of tourism, business, governments and their inhabitants about the route education, environment, electric power industry, network in the region. Cities of national Urban/ Local bruto culture and social life. signicance rural areas payment • Inspects the bus stations in the planning region’s • Ensures the coordination of culture industry territory and provides proposals on their necessity. development in Zemgale Region. Jelgava, 116 632 inhabitants live in urban 645 EUR • Provides statements on the local level development Jēkabpils areas (48%), 125 518 live in rural /CSB, 2014/ strategy and development programme compliance areas (52%) /CSB, 2015/ 7 Developed industrial Special Values production – Zemgale Region metal-processing, wood-processing, chemical of Zemgale industry, mining industry and textile industry The richest agriculture lands in Latvia, developed agriculture Waters 3% and processing of agricultural products – Zemgale is called Forests 42% the granary of Latvia Swamps 3% Educational centre of international signicance – Number of local Other Latvia University of Agriculture governments areas 13% Developed business infrastructure – nine science 13% centres, two technology centres, two logistics parks and three industrial parks, as well 42% as a network of business incubators Important cross points of transport passages, main state 39% highways and railway lines, Via Baltica, Rail Baltica. Important heritage – Rundāle Palace, Koknese Castle ruins, Tērvete Nature Park and others Agricultural land 39% Zemgale is crossed by the two largest rivers of Latvia – Source: Central Statistical Bureau, 2014 Daugava and Lielupe ZEMGALE PLANNING REGION SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2030 9 The Region’s Role Development Vision in Latvia and the Baltic Region of Zemgale Planning Region Zemgale in 2030 – a competitive, green region in the centre of Latvia with a qualitative and accessible living environment People The number of inhabitants in the region is stable. develop successfully, a cooperation and specialisation Inhabitants choose their place of living in Zemgale due to is going on. The business support and innovation the attractive space of living and work. In the region the system, company cooperation networks (clusters) majority of inhabitants in working age have higher or work eectively. In Zemgale, the formation and activity professional education and the majority are involved in of social enterprises is enhanced by involving the processes of life-long education. Inhabitants of the society in the process of social problem settlement. region feel proud to live in Zemgale. The Latvian cultural space is a base that unites the society of Zemgale – each Accessibility and every individual is entitled to choose its own identity The region is a common space for living and and can easily integrate in the society. working with a qualitative, eective and environmentally friendly transport system and Values infrastructure, which is based on public transport Zemgale is a green region in the centre of Latvia with networks that ensure regular accessibility in the the richest agricultural lands, diverse mineral resources, territory according to requirements of everyday forests and water resources, unpolluted and only mobility. In both public administration and slightly modied natural environment. It is a region with economic activity, the information and its own cultural environment, heritage, ancient communication technologies are broadly used. traditions and potential of tourism. Latvia University of Agriculture – a well-known and powerful university of Space knowledge and technology transfer in the Baltics, Zemgale is characterised by the balance of nature successfully carries out cooperation projects with the and human activity, specialisation and sustainable region and local governments regarding innovation usage of resources. The interaction and partnership implementation. of urban and rural areas ensure a high living standard in the whole Zemgale territory. Zemgale, Business activities as a region in the centre of Latvia, has strong The manufacturing enterprises important for the functional and spatial links with the other regions. In Zemgale Planning Region is located