Modrite Pelse

Šī monogrāfija tapusi laikā, kad jautājumi par attiecībām starp cilvēku, vidi un teritorijas attīstību kļūst arvien nozīmīgāki gan zinātniskajā diskursā, gan plašākā sabiedriskajā telpā. Bioloģiskās daudzveidības samazināšanās, klimata pārmaiņas, kas arvien biežāk ietekmē mūsu ikdienu, lauku teritoriju depopulācija un globālās pārtikas sistēmas ievainojamība aktualizē nepieciešamību meklēt ilgtspējīgas pieejas, kas sakņojas vietējā pieredzē un vērtībās, vienlaikus balstoties zinātniskā izpētē. Bioreģionu koncepts piedāvā šādu skatījumu – nevis kā attīstības instrumentu, bet kā kultūras, ētikas un atbildīgas saimniekošanas ietvaru. Bioreģions ir veids, kā domāt par teritoriju kā dzīvu sistēmu, kur dabas procesi, cilvēku darbība, kultūras tradīcijas, ekonomika un kopienas attiecības veido savstarpēji saistītu kopumu. Bioreģionu ideja rosina atgriezties pie izpratnes par saimniekošanu kā ilgtermiņa atbildību – par zemi, ainavu, ūdeņiem, pārtiku un cilvēkiem. Tā atgādina, ka attīstība nav tikai izaugsmes rādītāji, bet arī piederības sajūta, uzticēšanās, vietējā identitāte un spēja dzīvot saskaņā ar vidi. Monogrāfijas tapšana bija kolektīvs pētniecības darbs, kurā savijās dažādu disciplīnu perspektīvas – ekonomikas, reģionālās attīstības, filozofijas, socioloģijas un vides ilgtspējas jautājumi. Šis daudzpusīgais skatījums nav nejaušs, jo bioreģions pēc savas būtības ir pieeja, kurā zinātniskās atziņas, praktiskā pieredze un vietējās vērtības veido līdzvērtīgu pamatu kopīgas attīstības veidošanai. Tādēļ vēlos izteikt pateicību visai Fundamentālo un lietišķo pētījumu projekta (FLPP) Nr. lzp-2022/1-0519 “Bioreģioni kā integrēta stratēģija ilgtspējīgai lauku teritoriju attīstībai Latvijā” komandai par uzticēšanos, sadarbību un kopīgo redzējumu, kas ļāva šo pētījumu veidot ne tikai kā akadēmisku uzdevumu, bet kā nozīmīgu ieguldījumu Latvijas ilgtspējīgas attīstības diskusijā. Šis profesionālais un cilvēciskais atbalsts bija būtisks priekšnosacījums monogrāfijas tapšanai. Īpašu pateicību vēlos izteikt ekspertiem Latvijā un ārvalstīs, kuri dalījās ar savu pieredzi, pārdomām un kritisko skatījumu par bioreģionu attīstību, teritoriju pārvaldību, pārtikas sistēmām, kopienu lomu un ilgtspējīgas attīstības izaicinājumiem. Ekspertu līdzdalība būtiski bagātināja pētījumu un ļāva bioreģionu konceptu ieraudzīt ne tikai teorētiskā, bet arī praktiskā un cilvēciskā dimensijā. Ekspertu sniegtie vērtējumi un pieredze apliecināja, ka bioreģioni nav abstrakts jēdziens, bet gan praksē balstīta attīstības pieeja, kuras centrā ir cilvēki, viņu izvēles, attiecības un vērtības. Viņu atvērtība veidoja būtisku šīs monogrāfijas daļu. Šīs grāmatas iecere nav piedāvāt vienu normatīvu modeli vai gatavu recepti bioreģionu attīstībai Latvijā. Drīzāk tā ir aicinājums domāt, diskutēt un kopīgi meklēt piemērotākos ilgtspējīgas attīstības ceļus katrai teritorijai, katrai kopienai un katram reģionam. Bioreģionu pieeja pēc savas būtības ir elastīga, cieši saistīta ar konkrēto vietu un balstās vietējo cilvēku rīcībspējā. Bioreģionu attīstības iespējas Latvijā saistāmas ar vietējo pārtikas sistēmu stiprināšanu, bioloģiskās saimniekošanas atbalstu, sadarbības veicināšanu starp pašvaldībām, uzņēmējiem, kopienām un zinātniekiem, kā arī ar atbildīgāku attieksmi pret ainavu un dabas resursiem.

Sustainable agriculture is considered a crucial solution for developing technologies and practices that do not harm the environment, are accessible to farmers, and enhance food production. The current lifestyle of societies is widely regarded as the primary cause of environmental issues, leading to a slowdown in overall development, which must be addressed to ensure ecological sustainability. However, societal needs cannot be fully met based solely on the environmental dimension; economic, social, and cultural factors are equally important. This indicates that new approaches are necessary, which integrate biological and ecological processes into food production, reduce the use of non-renewable resources that harm both the environment and human health and effectively leverage the knowledge and capacities of local farmers. The growing interest in bioregions, grounded in agroecology principles, encompasses economic, environmental, and social challenges. It is part of broader discussions on the integration of food systems with local territories and cultural values, aiming to improve the quality of life in rural communities by making agriculture more profitable, creating new markets, promoting local tourism, reducing agriculture’s environmental impact, conserving biodiversity, and encouraging local food consumption. However, a key question remains: can agroecology coexist with a highly formalized agricultural model without compromising its sustainability potential? Therefore, this study aimed to synthesise and analyse scientific knowledge on the concept of bioregions as a means of implementation agroecology, with a particular focus on its impact on local economies, social cohesion, and environmental sustainability.

Hydrogen is one of the renewable fuels that might replace fossil fuels in a wide range of various applications, driving environmentally sustainable economic growth in the EU. According to the International Energy Agency, the use of hydrogen between 1975 and 2023 globally increased from 18 Mt to 97 Mt per year, but in 2023, EU member states produced 10.3 Mt hydrogen, or 10.6% of global output; green hydrogen accounted for less than 1%. The study’s aim is to assess the Latvia region's green hydrogen production capacity in terms of the availability of the necessary renewable energy resources (RES) – solar power, wind and hydro energy – to assess available infrastructure suited for the green hydrogen industry. Secondary data on renewable energy (RE) in Latvian regions were collected and analysed according to the research framework; to conduct a detailed comparison, statistical data on RES and infrastructure were collected and assessed by assigning a value to each criterion examined. The research highlighted that Latvia’s regions have an unequal distribution of RES, especially in terms of wind power and hydro energy; hydroelectric stations (HES) generate 60% of Latvia's total electricity. At present the Zemgale region is home to the largest HES, which defines its leading position in the RE sector, while the Kurzeme region is rising as a potential wind and solar energy hub of Latvia. Nevertheless, green hydrogen production has not been developed for commercial use in any region of Latvia.

Bioregions are examples of true sustainable development. The desire for sustainability within local communities leads to agreements and the formation of bioregions in which sustainable development is based on practical action. This paper analyzes the concept of bioregions, emphasizing holistic approaches applied to, and relationships with, economic, environmental and social factors in pathways and the pace of specialization for the development of territories, thereby complementing the agricultural dimension and paying special attention to the application of organic farming techniques. The formation of bioregions is based on the desires of local communities, but at the same time, we believe that there are objective factors that influence the development of bioregions. Thirteen factors that could affect the creation of bioregions were selected using factors referred to in research papers, as well as by adding original ones. These factors can be divided into the sustainable agriculture and tourism groups, in which high values indicate a high potential for the formation of bioregions, as well as the intensive agriculture factor group, where high values indicate the benefits of large-scale economies that hinder the formation of bioregions. Cluster analysis identified six potential bioregions in Latvia, each with distinct socio-economic, environmental, and agricultural characteristics: the metropolitan region (dominant indicator-PIT per capita, value 890 EUR), the tourism cluster (dominant indicator—tourists served as a % of the total population, value 28%), the extensive agriculture cluster (dominant indicator—organically certified UAA, value 14,645 ha), the nature and education cluster (dominant indicator—protected areas, value 7587 ha), the intensive agriculture cluster (dominant indicator—profit from productive land, value 278 EUR ha⁻¹), as well as a non-specialized cluster (no strongly dominant indicators). This paper describes each cluster and discusses its potential for bioregion development.

The UN and EU sustainable development guidelines emphasise the need for more environmentally friendly energy sources in promoting further economic development. Hydrogen is one of several renewable fuels that might replace fossil fuels in a range of applications. Green hydrogen generation throughout Europe is a crucial factor in achieving this aim. According to the IEA, the use of hydrogen in the global economy increased from 18 Mt to 97 Mt per year between 1975 and 2023. The aim of the research is to determine the main advantages and obstacles of every Baltic state regarding available renewable energy resources – solar power, wind, and hydro energy infrastructure and industrial capacity for hydrogen utilisation within the economy. Secondary data on renewable energy from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were collected and examined in accordance with the study framework. To enable a comprehensive comparison, statistical data on renewable resources, infrastructure, and industries were collected and assessed by assigning a value to each criterion evaluated. These values reflect the analysed importance of each criterion for the development of the green hydrogen industry. The statistics data for this study cover the period from 2021 to 2024. The Baltic states have an equal amount of renewable energy resources, but their distribution within each country differs significantly. Latvia has an edge in terms of hydro energy. Meanwhile, Estonia and Lithuania are leading in the area of wind and solar energy capacity development. None of the Baltic states have developed green hydrogen production for commercial purposes. However, the existing natural gas distribution network in the Baltic states could facilitate the transportation of green hydrogen.

Territorial development and the principle of sustainability are inseparable concepts. The Sustainable Development Goals emphasize the role of policy decisions in fighting against inequality and problems in the world across various dimensions of sustainable development: social, economic and environmental. Given the fact that the current way of life of society is considered to be the main cause of environmental problems, because of which overall development is slowed down, it needs to be changed in order to ensure ecological sustainability. Modern societies should be directed towards sustainable development, environmentally friendly actions and green management should cover the entire set of interactions within the socio-ecological system across all segments in relation to environmental management and production and consumption of goods and services, including food. The solutions could be developing of concepts of bioregion or organic management region, which involve a holistic approach to identifying and analysing reality in these territories and defining the development paradigm. Bioregions are areas where farmers, producers, public authorities, non-governmental organizations, tourism operators and residents mutually agree to manage local resources based on an agroecological approach and organic farming principles. The creation of bioregions is aimed at sustainable development of territories, promotion of the local economy and development of domestically produced food and local food chains, while preserving the landscape, cultural heritage and gastronomic peculiarities characteristic of the territory at the level of local communities. Therefore, the present research aim is to investigate the theoretical aspects of sustainable territorial development and to identify the nature of the bioregion system.

The unbalanced development of regions within the European Union (EU) faces challenges for sustainable economic growth opportunities in the future. Uneven scattering of industrial capacities across the EU determines the unequal distribution of wealth among the member states. The EU economy's Green Deal strategy determines the necessity of developing new technologies in both existing industries and developing new ones. The research emphasises two theories concerning territorial development issues. Circular cumulative causation theory and economic geography distinguish the development of industry, especially the manufacturing sector, as a crucial aspect of the economic development of a particular area. The symbiosis of both theories provides guidelines for a balanced approach to territory economic development capabilities in light of industry sustainability requirements in the present-day economy. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the combined circular cumulative causation and economic geography theory analysis approach by comparing the potential for the development of the green hydrogen industry in Latvia and Estonia. Hydrogen is one of the most likely energy sources to replace fossil fuels in the coming decades, and it possesses high potential for transportation, manufacturing, energy supply, and other sectors of the economy. The study established the research pattern within theoretical bases and identified general trends concerning an assessment framework, which can lead to unbalanced values in the industry’s potential evaluation process. The findings of the evaluation of the green hydrogen industry indicate Estonia's slight advantage over Latvia.

The formation and existence of degraded areas is one of the consequences of civilization, which has a negative impact on both the environment and economic development in the municipality. The problem of degraded areas has been faced by all countries worldwide, including Latvia, when as a result of the change of the state political system in the 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet system, a large number of inactive production companies appeared, resulting in a significant number of polluted / degraded areas. To solve the existing problem, local governments in Latvia use European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) funding under the Operational Program ‘Growth and Employment’ 5.6.2, specific support objective ‘Revitalization of territories by regenerating degraded areas in accordance with local government integrated development programs’ (SSO 5.6.2) to ensure the sustainable development of the territory by revitalizing degraded areas. In the implementation of projects, local governments must ensure the fulfilment of the indicators planned in the projects in the following groups of indicators: the area of degraded areas has been renewed, adapted for the location of new businesses or expansion of existing businesses in order to promote employment and economic activity in local governments; new jobs created in supported areas; non-financial investments made by businesses located in the supported territory in their own intangible investments and fixed assets. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the indicators of the implemented projects in order to be able to draw conclusions about the financial aspects of the project implementation and the progress of the project implementation.