Clearcutting chaos: A bumpy ride for Estonia’s conservation areas
April 15, 2024
Rail Baltica, the ambitious railway project set to connect the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania as part of Europe’s modern rail network, promises to boost regional development and integration. However, despite assurances of habitat protection and compensation measures during the construction of Rail Baltica, recent revelations on clearcutting in protected areas have exposed longstanding issues with Estonian forests. The case also highlights the broader challenges faced by nature when economic development takes precedence and the need for proper environmental safeguards against economic interests.
Protecting the biodiversity of Estonia’s agricultural landscapes
December 6, 2023
The case study demonstrates some of the many ways EU funds can and should be used to support nature restoration and conservation projects. These are instrumental to address the biodiversity crisis across sectors.
Estonia’s REPowerEU chapter: civil society excluded from decision-making on energy transition investments
June 7, 2023
The European Commission has approved amendments to Estonia’s recovery and resilience plan and its newly added REPowerEU chapter. The country is determined to accelerate the energy transition, but more transparency is needed if it is to succeed.
Latvia abandons plans for controversial LNG terminal but still needs to ditch fossil gas
April 12, 2023
Latvia’s government announced yesterday (11 April) it is terminating plans for a liquified fossil gas (commonly termed liquified natural gas or LNG) terminal in Skulte.
Nuclear ambitions risk hindering Estonia’s energy transition
April 5, 2023
The Estonian government is considering pumping money into controversial nuclear power. Instead, it should strengthen its efforts to ensure a resilient, fully renewable and decentralised energy infrastructure.
LNG rush threatens Baltic energy transition: why new LNG infrastructure is a false solution for energy security in the Baltics
March 14, 2023
As a result of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the Baltic states and Finland, which had relied on Russia for fossil gas imports, now lack sufficient alternative infrastructure to cover regional demand. The main efforts to diversify gas sources and reduce regi
Assessment of Latvia’s Territorial Just Transition Plan
February 22, 2023
Latvia’s just transition regions – Latgale, Vidzeme, Zemgale and Kurzeme – are supposed to stop extracting and using peat for energy. Instead, with the help of EU funding allocated to various measures and projects through a Territorial Just Transition
Energy poverty in Latvia – from definition towards action
January 24, 2023
This summary briefing reviews the state of energy poverty in Latvia, focusing on how this term is defined in Latvian law and practice and what programmes are in place to assist those struggling to pay for the energy they use.
REPowerEU is a chance to prioritise renovating buildings in Latvia
November 30, 2022
Energy consumed in the residential sector accounts for up to 30 per cent of Latvia’s energy usage. Approximately 23,000 multi-apartment buildings need to be renovated, but only 1,600 buildings have been insulated since 2009, a renovation rate of 0.5 per year. Will Latvia seize the chance and use REPowerEU chapters for renovation?
Is Estonia doing enough to reach 100 per cent renewable electricity, and can it do even more with the help of REPowerEU?
November 21, 2022
On 12 October, Estonia’s parliament adopted a new renewable electricity target of 100 per cent by 2030. The strategic use of EU cohesion and recovery funds in Estonia will help reach that goal, and the additional EUR 83.4 million from REPowerEU has the potential to do even more.