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Foreword

The development of modern environmental protection policies is a relatively new global phenomenon. They have grown out of the understanding that society must move from the protection of individual elements of nature and the careful use of resources to the comprehensive protection of ecosystems, the maintenance of the quality of the human environment, and the implementation of environmental policies that quarantee sustainable and balanced development. The principles of sustainable development were internationally accepted during the United Nations `Environment and Development` conference in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 and enshrined in `Agenda 21`.

The National Environmental Policy Plan (NEPP) for Latvia has been developed and elaborated under the guidance of the Environmental Protection Department at the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development. It is the first such strategic document at the national level in the entire history of environmental protection in Latvia. The document sets out environmental protection policy goals for the coming decades, the principles adhered to while developing strategies, and lists the resources and mechanisms that may be used for the implementation of policies. During the course of policy development, priority environmental problems were analysed and measures for their resolution were suggested.

Special attention should be brought to the process of developing the policy plan. Workshops were organised for more than 80 specialists from numerous institutions, including representatives from the Ministries of Economy, Finance, Agriculture and Transport, universities and other research and environmental institutions, non-governmental organisations, and various organisations responsible to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development. Consultations were also sought from the Ministry of Housing, Physical Planning and Environment of the Netherlands and experts from the Swedish Environmental Protection Authority. We were especially grateful to the Dutch Government for its support throughout this process.

At the beginning of the first workshop, the participants were surprised by empty flipchart sheets covering the walls of the seminar rooms. What followed were well-organised and democratic brain-storming sessions. With the professional and competent facilitation by Allen Hickling, consensus and unity was achieved from the initially diverse and contradictory viewpoints. The final product is this up-to-date strategy document that be used by various interest groups and sectors of the economy when preparing their plans.

In future, as Latvia develops socially and economically, the overall environmental situation will also change - priorities will change, possible or alternative solutions to problems will change: society, businesses and ministries that deal with economic questions will need to become more involved in the solution of actual problems. It will become necessary to modify, improve and supplement the NEPP.

The NEPP document will also be used without delay to begin the development of the next document in the series - Environmental Action Plan. In expressing my thanks to the collective authors of this plan for their productive efforts under the leadership of Valts Vilnitis, Director of the Environmental Protection Department, as well as to everyone else who participated in or supported the process, I hope that the NEPP has a long and influential working life.

Indulis Emsis, State Minister of Environmental Protection

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Last updated: November 8, 1996. The information prepared by Valts Vilnitis: fuxis@varam.gov.lv