(1)

Pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 (the European Climate Law), the Commission is required to assess the consistency of national measures with the climate-neutrality objective and with ensuring progress on adaptation. The Commission assessed the consistency of Latvia’s measures with these objectives (2). The below recommendations are based on that assessment. Latvia should take due account of the present recommendations and follow up on them in accordance with the European Climate Law.

(2)

While the Union’s net greenhouse gas emissions (including from land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) and excluding international transport) show a steady downward trend overall, broadly in line with the linear trajectory achieving the Union’s 2030 climate target of -55 % and the Union’s 2050 climate-neutrality objective, the pace of emission reduction needs to accelerate, and action by Member States is essential. Progress across Member States has been mixed, with several sectoral challenges and weaknesses that need to be remedied without further delay. The assessment, based on the available information, shows that progress towards the Union’s climate-neutrality objective appears largely insufficient for Latvia. Reliable long-term strategies are the cornerstone for achieving the economic transformation needed to move towards the Union’s climate-neutrality objective.

(3)

The first step in strengthening the ambition on adaptation should be adopting an appropriate legal framework for national climate policy that sets up binding, regularly updated adaptation goals to measure overall progress in building resilience. Adaptation policies should focus on areas or sectors particularly vulnerable to climate change, or whose activities are key to the resilience of other sectors, or which have significant importance to the national economy or public health. A priority response is required on impacts and risks that are expected to affect critical infrastructure or systems with long life spans, or that are expected to affect systems irreversibly, taking into account interaction with socioeconomic development or other non-climatic drivers. Monitoring and evaluation of adaptation efforts are necessary for maintaining accountability and improving adaptation policy.

(4)

Private stakeholders are agents of change by providing information, resources, capacities and funding. The local level has competences which can impact climate resilience more broadly. The preparation and implementation of sub-national adaptation policies are of significant importance,