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 Contents
of this page:
Establishment 
Staff
Budget Achievements
Projects
Expertise
Donors
Contact address
Year
of Establishment:
1995
Current Staff:
Erika Lagzdina, Country Office Director
Operational
Budget in 2007:
Approximately EUR 30,000
Major
Achievements
- Country Office Latvia is one of active players in
public participation regarding implementation of the Water Framework
directive in Latvia on local level and transfer of knowledge across
the boarders
- Country Office Latvia has wide and long term expertise
in implementation of the Aarhus Convention and Rio declaration Principle
10 for participation in Latvia.
- Country Office Latvia acts as a facilitator between
State environmental authorities and the NGO community by introducing
dialogue and facilitating public involvement into environmental decision
making and policy preparation.
- Country Office Latvia provides recognised expertise
on local environmental planning and building sustainable municipal governance
practices.
- Country Office Latvia is popular and respected among
environmental educators and nature protection organisations as experts
in developing guidelines and training modules for citizens and pupils
becoming more involved in environmental protection activities, and recently
developed expertise in sustainable rural tourism area.
Main Projects
- “Partnership building for Climate policy
in Latvia” is Latvian EPF funded project to facilitate
dialogue between stake-holders in climate sector, including academia,
ministries, NGOs and business sector. Issues of aviation impact on climate,
adaptation policies, emission allocations have been discussed during
numerous events, information campaigns and press releases to media was
apart of project (2006-2007)
- “Building Capacity for Transboundary
Water Resources Management of the Zapadnaya Dvina River Basin”-
a project funded by MATRA programme and implemented in Belarus jointly
with the Dutch consultancy “Ameco” and Belarus civil organizations.
Project focuses on small grants programme for civil environmental initiatives
in Vitebsk oblastj, development of Public Participation Guidelines for
acting in water sector, NGOs capacity building programme (trainings,
experience visits to Latvia), facilitation of dialogue between Latvian
and Belarussian authorities and concrete assistance in solving wastewater
treatment problems in municipalities along Z.Dvina and obsoletes pesticides
stock pile problem in Verhnedvinsk (2005-2007).
- “ Interactive training for starting
business activities in rural communities based on environmental assets
of the Selija region” is a project financed form European
Social Fund and Latvia national budget and implemented in capacity of
a lead party in partnership with partners: Latvian Rural Tourism Association
and 6 Selija region municipalities. The goal of project was: with the
help of interactive training, individual consultations and assistance
on site, with the use of practice firms assist to the 5 selected marginalized
groups (large families, long term unemployed persons, pre-pension age
people, mothers after maternity leave, and single parents) to build
their capacity in starting entrepreneurial activities in the Selija
region, thus creating a basis for local economical activities and regional
development. Project totally delivered 14 diverse training courses and
involved 141 participants from target groups, it resulted in 11 new
registered business activities in biological farming and rural tourism.
- “The Access Initiative”
is a part of global network of NGOs into which REC Latvia takes part
of focal point in Latvia. TAI is initiative for supporting implementation
of the “access rights” in environmental sector in compliance
with Rio Principle 10 what calls for active public participation in
environmental matters. Project is implemented on global and European
scale, assessment report and comparative study is published as ‘Environmental
Democracy” report for selected countries, Latvia included. Assessment
of “access rights” for transboundary impact cases where
interests of 3 Baltic states merge, was analysed as pilot case for applicability
of TAI indicators (2005-2007)
- “Elaboration of New Models for Ziemelsuseja
River Management, based on an ecosystems approach and citizen
involvement in local decision-making" is an- EU Life co-funded
project. REC Latvia is an official project partner for local capacity
building. It has developed guidelines and programmes for public involvement
for all phases of project: problems identification, planning, monitoring
etc. ( 2002- 2005) Project homepage: http://www.suseja.lv
- “Access 2000 - Special Programme for
Strengthening Civil Society and Preparing for Latvia's EU Accession.”
REC Latvia was a Phare Programme Implementation Body, responsible for
administrating EUR 1,008,000 in grants for Latvia's NGO sector. (2002-2003)
- “Schools for Sustainability in the Baltic
States” project funded by the Dutch Matra programme and
implemented in the three Baltic States. The project resulted in development
of excellent methodological material for teachers and pupils in the
Latvian language, The "ToT" programme trained coaches and
pilot eco-teams in nine Latvian schools (2001-2003).
- “Ecoteams: a Model for Sustainable Development
Opportunities in School and Family“– a follow-up
to the previous project, funded by Latvian Environmental Fund. The project
resulted in the development of 60 ecoteams all over Latvia, teacher
training and establishment of a national Ecoteams focal point and website
(2003-2004). Subsequently, there were two new similar projects carried
out for large towns in Latvia that resulted in 200 fully-trained teachers,
800 involved pupils and tangible environmental improvements.
Country
Office Expertise
- Full-scale expertise in implementation of
EU water policy (particularly WFD) in Latvia, from capacity-building
activities for developing plans at local levels, to feasibility studies
and public surveys, development of water sector assessment reports,
etc. Five years' practical experience in working with stakeholder groups
on public involvement issues in river basin management and the monitoring
process. Methodology development and training capacity in the WFD area.
Good international contacts. Know –how transfer experience to
Belarus, Moldova, Russia.
- Waste management at themunicipal
level, development of guidelines and training programmes
- Sustainable tourism and nature trails,
developing guidelines and training modules for environmental friendly
practices, training of rural tourism entrepreneurs
- Education for sustainability and
Environmental Education. Implementation of the Ecoteam concept into
Latvian schools, training of teachers and students, methodology development
- Aarhus Convention and Public Participation,
10 years' expertise, networking and facilitation skills, policy analysis.
Partner of global Rio PP10 network through The TAI project.
- Environmental planning and management
at local/municipal levels (complete LEAP expertise), projects at local
and district levels, at home and abroad.
- Training for local authorities on
project preparation, and EU policies
- NGO sector capacity building
- Project management and evaluation,
TA capacity for EU funded projects (Life, SF)
Project
Donors
Latvian Environmental Protection Fund
European Social Fund
Latvia’s state budget
The Netherlands government MATRA programme
European Commission DG Justice
World Resources Institute, USA
Contact
address
Peldu str. 26/28, r305
Riga, LV-1050
Latvia
Tel./Fax: (371-6) 7228-055
E-mail: reclat@parks.lv
Web: http://www.reclatvija.lv |
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Related information: Map of Latvia
Home page of Latvia
UNEP-Infoterra
Latvia: Environmental Information Section
Ministry
of Environment
This page was last updated:
June 2007
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