sum lat01

Distr.

GENERAL

FCCC/IDR.1(SUM)/LAT

7 April 1997

Original: ENGLISH

SUMMARY

of the

REPORT OF THE IN-DEPTH REVIEW OF THE NATIONAL

COMMUNICATION

LATVIA

(The full text of the report (in English only) is contained in document FCCC/IDR.1/LAT)

Review team:

Edward Radwansky, Poland

Patricia Ramirez, Costa Rica

Seppo Oikarinen, Finland

Fiona Mullins, OECD secretariat

Mukul Sanwal, UNFCCC secretariat, Coordinator

Also available on the World Wide Web (http://www.unfccc.de)

GE-97

Summary⁽¹⁾

^{1. The in-depth review was carried out between April
and November 1996 and included a visit by the team to Riga, from 13
to 15 May 1996. The team included experts from Costa Rica, Finland,
Poland, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD).}

^{2. In its first national communication Latvia has
followed the reporting guidelines for national communications to the
extent possible. Latvia has partially followed the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas
Inventories (1994). Latvia has provided, with varying levels of
detail, information on policies and measures that will help to
mitigate climate change, and has also provided projections of
greenhouse gas emissions for the year 2000. Supporting documentation
was made available to the review team during the country visit which
enabled a fuller understanding of the information in the national
communication.}

^{3. Latvia expects to achieve about 25-30 per cent
lower emission levels in the year 2000 as compared to 1990 levels.
Emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), in global warming potential
terms, have dropped by over 50 per cent between 1990 and 1996 as a
result of restructuring, energy price reform, the decline in
production, removal of energy subsidies, and the breakup of the
collective farms. Latvia also has policies to make greater use of
renewable energy sources, such as wood, and to promote energy
efficiency and conservation in the large combined heat and power
plants that provide residential heating, which accounts for more than
one-fourth of total energy consumption. With almost half the country
covered by managed forest, an equivalent of nearly two thirds of the
emissions of carbon dioxide are currently sequestered by sinks.
Latvias national policy priorities include environmental protection
strategies in various economic sectors, some of which will also help
reduce GHG emissions.}

^{4. Latvia's approach to climate change is influenced
by its geographical situation and the ongoing transition to a market
economy. Energy security is the overriding policy objective.
Currently 30 per cent of electricity and 90 per cent of primary fuel
are imported. The economic restructuring, as well as removal of
subsidies and an increase in prices for imported energy to world
market levels, have reduced primary energy consumption, and provided
incentives for the introduction of new technology, energy efficiency
and energy conservation measures. Lack of finance and institutional
capacity to develop and manage investments projects is likely to
hinder the implementation of measures to reduce emissions of GHGs in
the short term. Fiscal instruments have recently been introduced as a
policy tool, but it is too early to assess their impact.}

^{5. Latvia has in place a strategic framework for
environmental protection. Sustainable development objectives are
pursued by integrating environmental considerations into economic
sectors through the National Environmental Policy Plan, the Energy
Master Plan, and the National Development Programme of Motor
Transport and Forestry Development Policy. The role of environmental
information, institutions and organizations and public awareness in
the implementation of policy is formally recognized by the
Government. These factors should help Latvia to adopt policies and
measures in the future for reducing its emissions.}

^{6. The measures described in the national
communication target the energy and transformation sector, which is
the main source of GHG emissions in Latvia - accounting for more than
one third of total CO₂ emissions in 1990. The Governments
policy priorities are to improve energy security, economic efficiency
and local air quality. In the national communication, separate
projections have been made for emissions of carbon dioxide
(CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide
(N₂O), nitrogen oxides (NO_x), carbon monoxide
(CO), and non methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC)s, and three
CO₂ scenarios have been presented based on different gross
domestic product (GDP) assumptions. These scenarios incorporate the
effects of several measures - rehabilitation of district heating
networks, installation of heat meters, and taxes that provide
incentives for increased use of natural gas rather than liquid fuels
- planned to achieve sustainable development.}

^{7. No information was included in the national
communication on vulnerability and adaptation. The review team was
informed that work has been initiated to develop a national climate
programme. Latvia has a wind turbine project in Ainazi as an Activity
Implemented Jointly with the Government of Germany. An environmental
data centre has been established to collect data on air, water and
soil pollution. The centre proposes to integrate information on
energy and socio-economic data. The national communication reported
on improvements in the quality of environmental programmes in the
schools.}

^{8. Latvia does not have a specific policy to mitigate
climate change but includes climate policy within a combination of
environmental policy and development strategies in various economic
sectors. It was stressed to the review team that the future pattern,
structure and pace of economic growth remain highly uncertain,
thereby preventing the Government drawing up specific measures to
reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.}

^-----

1. In accordance with decision 2/CP.1 of the Conference of the Parties, the full draft of this report was communicated to the Latvian Government, which had no further comments.