At the end of 2017, government adopted LIBRA 2030 in the form of an informational report. This report incorporates ideas of BIO4ECO project on the necessity to develop land use policy basing on functional and smart land use principles. A well-considered land use policy is not only a precondition for sustainable land management, but also for ensuring a balance between production, environment and climate requirements.
The LIBRA 2030 was elaborated by the Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies involving number of sectorial stakeholders such as scientists, entrepreneurs, governmental institutions and NGOs.
Latvia’s vision for the bioeconomy strategy – the bioeconomy sectors of Latvia are innovation leaders in the Baltic States in preserving natural capital, increasing its value and use it in efficient and sustainable manner.
Innovative approaches for the efficient and sustainable exploitation of natural resources in Latvian bioeconomy industries already are developed and introduced in practice in order to foster growth of the national economy producing products with higher added value, promoting exports and employment. We have to keep in mind that this could be achieved both balancing economic interests and in the same time ensuring environmental quality and preserving as well as enhancing biodiversity.
The strategic goals for the bioeconomy development are divided into three main groups:
1) advancement and retention of employment in the bioeconomy sectors to at least 128 thou persons;
2) increasing the value added of bioeconomy products to at least 3,8 billion EUR by 2030;
3) increasing the value of bioeconomy production exports to at least 9 billion EUR by 2030.
Future work on implementation of the Latvian Bioeconomy Strategy will be based on incorporating of strategy’s ideas and targets in all relevant policy planning documents post 2020, including also land use policy. Latvian Bioeconomy Strategy will serve as solid ground for upcoming BIO4ECO project`s action plan in a future.
