Unlike solar, which has seen a leap in the last two years, with electricity generation increasing by up to 80 times, we have been practically stagnant in catching the wind.

To be precise, in this time we have built a new ministry and legal framework for wind farms, not new wind turbines. However, the years to come promise more and more wind turbines on the Latvian landscape, which is not received with enthusiasm by some of the public, especially in local communities, and has even provoked a headwind.
In a video interview with Latvijas Avīze journalist Guntis Ščerbinskis, Ecosoul founder and environmental expert Arta Kauķe talks about how to reconcile the interests of the state, wind park developers and stakeholders.
It is very important for all the stakeholders involved in the construction of a wind farm that these projects are socially accepted. A social impact assessment is an excellent tool to identify the social impacts of a project and ways to mitigate them.
Last year, the State Environmental Monitoring Office (SEO) received the largest number of applications for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of wind farm projects. At the beginning of this year, a total of 40 projects were at various stages of assessment, including those that had been completed. The Kurzeme region leads with 24 wind parks, five projects are planned in Zemgale, seven in Vidzeme, three in Latgale and one in the Riga planning region, according to data compiled by the environmental activist association "Zaļā brīvība".

Photo: Latvijas Avīze / Latvijas Mediji
Arta Kauķe notes that public awareness is slow at the moment, but there is a tendency for the situation to improve, as several wind farm developers are already going beyond the requirements of the EIA programme by trying to meet the public and establish contact with stakeholders. In most cases, however, the parties avoid each other, resulting in aggressive, ineffective or non-existent communication. Hopefully, developers will be able to appreciate the enormous influence of the public, which both increases the value of a project and reduces the risks in its development and operation, sooner and sooner.
Author: Guntis Ščerbinskis / Latvijas Avīze & Ecosoul
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