ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE CHANGE CHALLENGES IN RIGA

Martins MenniksRiga City Council City Development DepartmentBoard of Economics Head of International Projects DivisionPhone: +371 67026143Fax.: +371 67012872E-mail: martins.menniks@riga.lv RIGA

ENVIRONMENT

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City size: The territory of Riga - 304.05 km2

Inhabitants: 703 581 (year 2011)

Assessed direct climate risks:

↗The possibilities of flood in lower areas;↗The possibility of washing away the shore and the area near the links zone;↗Erosion of the shore line in strong storms of North Western breezes.

Participation in any international climate/energy initiatives:

↗Aalborg Charter (since 1994);↗Aalborg +10 (since 2004);↗Local Agenda 21;↗Covenant of Mayors (2009);↗European Green Cities (participated in 2006).

Current situation with 0,5%, 1%, 5%, 10%, 20% un 50% flood probability.

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City targets are set in:Riga Long Term Development Strategy 2025Riga Development Program 2006-2012Riga Spatial Plan 2006-2018Riga Environmental Programme 2011-2017 Riga Air Quality Improvement Action Programme 2011-2015Long term Energy action plan 2010 - 2020 Mitigation and adaptation achievements to date (e.g. CO2 avoided, improvements in energy efficiency, etc.”):Since the early 90ies significantly decreased industrial production;Low CO2 emissions public and private transport;House renovation and insulation measures.

Approaches used: Awareness raising, planning, insulation, project managenet (possible green procurement).

Relief of Daugava valley

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Environmental projects in RIGA City Council:

↗ More than 20 EU co financed projects directly related to environmental issues;↗ Mainly referring to the energy and energoeficiency issues;↗ Approximately 10 investment projects and 10 cooperation projects (“soft” projects);↗ in end of 2010 and beginning of 2011 started large scale brown field regeneration projects;↗ Keeping on with the heat insulation of public buildings – mainly schools and kindergartens (Some of the social houses are renovated)↗ Different strategic environmental projects are in implementation

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The Ecoregion project

EcoRegion aims at developing the Baltic Sea Region into the world's first EcoRegion, where economical growth goes hand in hand with environmental integrity and social justice

Lead partner: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (Germany)

Project partners: 22 from all BSR countries

Duration of the project: 36 month (Jan 2009 – Jan 2012)

Project budget: 2 983 056 EUR

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The Ecoregion project’s specific objective at the local level is to develop Riga Environmental programme 2011.- 2017. and as integral part Riga air quality programme 2011.- 2015. thus ensuring sustainable development against environmental and climate change.

The actions and the measures within Riga Environmental programme 2011.- 2017. and Riga air quality programme 2011.- 2015. :

↗ Assessed summary of the implementation of Riga Environmental strategy 2000-2010 and analyzed current situation;↗ Identified qualitative and quantitative hindrances of environment in defined areas; ↗ Set environmental objectives and tasks for city of Riga;↗ Developed sustainable implementation plan linked with relevant long-term strategies;

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Baseline review (up-date)Core document:

Sustainability report

Target settingCore Document:

Sustainability targets

Political comitmentCore Document: Council

Aprovement

Implementation and Monitoring

Sustainabuility report

Evaluating and reportingEvaluation Report

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PROGRAMMAS UZSTĀD

ĪJUMI

2011 2012 2013

2011.

2012.

2013.

2014.

2015.

2016.

2017.

2014 2015 2016

2017

2018 2019 2020

2018.

2019.

2020.

Time scale of the Program

RIGA

9

Structure of the ProgramThe AIM of the Program

(Directly linked with the strategic planning documents of Riga)

Task of the program Nr.1

Criterias

Project Project

Project

Criterias

Project

Project

Project

Criterias

Project

Project Project

Project

Task of the program Nr.2

Criterias

Project

Criterias

Project

Task of the program Nr.3

Criterias

Project

Project

Criterias

Project

Project

Projects

Finance source Finance source Finance source Finance source Finance source Finance source Finance source

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„Integrated Strategy for Riga City to Adapt to the Hydrological Processes Intensified by Climate Change Phenomena”

↗ Part of the territory of Riga often

suffers from flooding. It causes

significant economic and moral loss to

the owners of these territories.

↗ Due to the effects of global warming

the likelihood of flooding and coastal

erosion processes in the territory of

Riga increases even to a greater scale.

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Questions that we would like to discuss in project:

↗ Development of flood management in your city - a brief look back in history;

↗ Types of flooding that your cities face;↗ Mitigation of flood impact – solutions,

techniques, instruments, methods etc.;↗ Legislation of flood management;↗ Distribution of liability in flood management;↗ Impact of flood management on territorial

planning;↗ Flood management funding arrangements;↗ Other negative impacts of hydrological

processes (such as coastal erosion etc.) on the city territory;

↗ Impact of climate changes on flood management;

↗ Communication with the society;↗ Recommendations for Riga City.

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The main project actions: ↗ Detailed studies of hydrological processes affecting territory of Riga City and

their current and potential impacts;↗ Getting acquainted with the experience and best practices in identifying,

planning and managing flood risk zones in 3 European cities;↗ Development of Flood Risk Management Plan for Riga City; ↗ Development of Methodological guidelines for territorial planning of different

flood risk zones.

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City Environment projects in Riga:

Reconstruction of Red warehouse block in Riga by creating revitalization the territory and the Daugava river bank (Bicycle road, bank protection, traffic safety, more green sections)

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Complex Grizinkalna neighborhood revitalization project:

Reconstruction of parks and gardens (4 parks and gardens);Reconstruction of lighting system in neighborhood – 16 streets (energy consumption, safety);Reconstruction of streets, water-supply and sewerage – 7 streets (environmental problems, , water-supply safety);Reconstruction of oldest wooden house in Riga.

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Partners in Environmental issues:

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THANK YOUMartins MenniksRiga City Council City Development DepartmentBoard of Economics Head of International Projects DivisionPhone: +371 67026143Fax.: +371 67012872E-mail: martins.menniks@riga.lv