Workpackage 7: Adaptation of environmental and sectorial policy to the climate change.

WP7 coordinator is Kristine Abolina Dr. geogr., docent of Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences, UL. WP7 participants are researchers of Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences and other research institutions.

Success of the whole program depends greatly on its ability to influence development of legal instruments, decision making and development planning processes in the country. Aim of the 7th work-package is to ensure that the Program produces outputs that are accepted by the users. Based on the other work-package outputs WP7 develops scientifically sound action proposals to adopt Latvia’s environmental policy and sector policies to the climate change. Research of climate change impact and adaptation must address the needs of potential users of its results – decision makers of national and municipal level and professionals developing national environmental policy. These needs will be carefully investigated to tailor work-package’s plans.

Taking into account the magnitude of climate change impact on economy and social sphere on global, regional and national scales, the new knowledge produced by the Program is analysed and synthesized within a context of environmental management. Program promotes scientifically sound practical proposals for elaboration of regulatory and development planning documents in all levels of national environmental sphere and other sectors. It is important to observe that adaptation to climate change does not cause secondary environmental and development problems. Thus sustainable development is facilitated by applying of pre-cautionary and responsibility principles promoted in the environmental policy. Experience accumulated by other countries is of major importance in WP7 work. Special attention is paid for actions of initiation and underpinning of a dialogue between governmental institutions, local governments and business, and research towards adaptation to climate change.

WP 7 tasks are:

• Analyse the existing policy of adaptation to climate change in water dimension of Latvia (Adaptation policy).
• Transform the new knowledge produced by the Program into proposals for planning of national development, and adaptation of environmental policy and other policies to the climate change. Promote practical implementation of Program outputs(Implementation).
• Facilitate dialogue between research on climate change impact on waters and governmental institutions, local governments and business depending on this research (Dialogue).

WP7 outputs will be:

• Identification of public opinion on necessity of adaptation to climate change and priority directions of activities in the context of water environment.
• Transposition of proposals into regulatory documents of national development planning, environmental policy and sector policies to ensure assimilation of program findings for mitigation of the climate change negative effects on the water environment.
• Facilitation of communication and dialogue between climate change research and governmental and municipal institutions involved in development planning and decision making, as well as the private business.
• Information of broad public about Program implementation and its findings (in collaboration with WP 8).