Latvia

National Strategy / Action Plan

There is no National Strategy / Action Plan in Latvia

CSO platform(s)

Lead Government Body

national ESC(s)

SD council or equivalent

There is no SD council or equivalent in Latvia

Performance

There is no Performance in Latvia

Summary

  • Latvia has a comprehensive sustainable development strategy for 2030, operationalised through a national development plan and sector policy.
  • A dedicated cross-sectoral coordination centre monitors the implementation of the sustainable development strategy and the functioning of the policy planning system.
  • Sustainable development indicators are well defined and broken down into seven subcategories: cultural space, investments in human capital, education, innovative and eco-efficient economy, nature, spatial development and public participation.

Description of the initiative

Actors

Lead government body
Cross-Sectoral Coordination Centre
Supporting government bodies

Prime Minister's Office

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Central Statistics Bureau

Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, among others

National Economic and Social Council
National Tripartite Cooperation Council
Sustainable Development Council

National Development Council

Lead government body link
Cross-Sectoral Coordination Centre
Supporting government bodies text

Prime Minister's Office

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Central Statistics Bureau

Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, among others

SD council text

National Development Council

nESC link
National Tripartite Cooperation Council

Institutional framework

Lead and supporting government bodies

The Cross-Sectoral Coordination Centre is responsible for long-term and medium-term planning in the country and in particular for developing and monitoring the implementation of the SD Strategy and the National Development Plan..

The National Development Council is an advisory body, operating under the Prime Minister.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for development cooperation priorities, and the relevant ministries determine Latvia’s positions on global issues.

Strategic framework

SDGs are integrated into the Sustainable Development Strategy of Latvia 2030

The National Development Plan which determines the medium term development priorities is the main instrument for the implementation of the strategy

Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals

The institution in charge and, if applicable, institutions with shared responsibility are identified..

The SDG indicators for each of the targets are mapped against the Latvia 2030 and National Development Plan for 2020 performance indicators.

 The institution in charge gives its opinion regarding the need to include non-existent or partially covered SDG indicators in National Development Plan for 2020 or in the next National Development Plan.

Role of civil society

Civil society platform link
Latvian Platform for Development Cooperation (LAPAS)
Involvement in implementation of Sustainable Development Goals
  • The Latvia 2030 strategy establishes cooperation and participation as two of its basic principles and calls all institutions to incite public discussion for the implementation of the SDGs.
  • Council of Memorandum of Cooperation between NGOs and the Cabinet of Ministers for commenting on draft regulations and policy planning documents and implementing policies affecting NGOs, issues raised on development policy, SDG mapping, reporting, and stakeholder implementation;
  • In the Council of Memorandum NGOs are nominated to the advisory working group advising on Agenda 2030 issues.
  • A recent study by the Latvian Platform for Development Cooperation (LAPAS) analyses NGO Participation in the Sustainable Development in Latvia and recommends further actions. In May 2019 it organised a civil society conference to analyse the draft National  Development Plan SDG context.
Civil society platform for 2030

LAPAS – Latvian Platform for Development Cooperation

Global Compact Network Latvia

SD council or equivalent

Name
The National Development Council, supported by the Cross-Sectoral Coordination …
Legal mandate

The National Development Council's functions are defined by  Regulation No 38 adopted on 21 January 2014

Tasks

Provides advice to the Prime Minister on sustainable development, priorities, structural reforms, new planning documents, and medium term budgeting to achieve sustainable development.

Organisation

The National Development Council is advisory body to the Prime Minister

Activities

Meeting several times in 2019 to align the National Development Plan 2021-2027.

National Economic & Social Council

Name
National Tripartite Cooperation Council (NTCC)
Legal mandate

To promote social partner cooperation at the national level and to ensure coordinated socio-economic development issues that are consistent with society and national interests, guaranteeing social stability, well-being and economic growth in the country.

Organisation

As of 2006 NTCC meetings are called and steered by the Prime Minister, and a NTCC secretariat is working as part of the State Chancellery.

It is composed of 27 members

At its meetings, the NTCC discusses state budget proposals, the minimum wage and other issues relevant to poverty reduction, income inequality, and economic growth.

It is an active participant in the inclusive decision-making process and its members provide comments on policy documents at all stages.

Partners participate in the National Development Council.

Partners participated in the 2018 advisory group on the SDG Voluntary National Review.

Tasks

The National Tripartite Cooperation Council has limited involvement in SD policy; its focus instead is on fostering cooperation among social partners at national level to ensure an integrated way of dealing with issues concerning socioeconomic development in line with the interests of society, as a whole, and the state.

Activities

No information available.

Monitoring & Evaluation

Performance

UN SDSN SDG Index Country Profile

Latvia is ranks 24th in the SDG global ranking of 2019.

Indicators

A number of indicators have been developed to monitor the National Development Plan 2014-2020;

The Prime Minister is required to report biannually on progress towards the medium-term national development plan and Latvia 2030;

 The indicators and data are derived from the Central Statistics Bureau and EUROSTAT data, the European Social Survey, academic studies, surveys, media and ministry assessments.

Voluntary National Report

Latvia's Voluntary National Review was presented at UN's 2018 High-level Political Forum.

Organised civil society was involved in the preparation of the Review mostly through an informal working group which included NGOs, social partners, ministry policy planners and others.

Latvia's Voluntary National Review can be accessed here.