Baltics

As Latvia's authorities look to finalise EU funds allocations for the 2014-2020 period, the nation's energy supply – where it is sourced from and how it is being used – remains the elephant in the room. As in every economy, energy is a crucial sector, with significant influence over the overall national economy and its development. An ambition and a challenge for Latvia is how to improve its energy independence, and quickly.

At the moment from an NGO's point of view the Operational Programme of Latvia looks well defined and very promising in general. But the way how the OP is described at the moment is too general also for a SEA to assess the possible negative impacts on environment as well as for NGOs to consider that the implementation of OP could cause serious environmental problems, let alone the strategic direction Latvia chose to follow with support of ESI funds.

The briefing is based on inputs from the Network of Estonian Non-Governmental Organisations, the Estonian Council of Environmental Organisations, the Estonian Fund for Nature, the Centre of Stockholm Environment Institute in Tallinn (a.k.a Sustainable Estonia Institute), the Estonian Green Movement-FoE Estonia, the Estonian Renewable Energy Association and CEE Bankwatch Network.

Bankwatch's detailed comments on the draft energy sector strategy of the European Bank for Reconstruction suggests the introduction of an emissions performance standard at the level of 350 gCO2/kWh for the bank's fossil fuel lending. It also contains comments on other energy sources, carbon markets, energy systems, carbon capture and storage, nuclear safety, and in an additional annex it lays out sustainability criteria for hydropower development.