[2020-2021] Assignment under the EC service contract “Assessment of the Member States reports on the implementation of the Program of Measures and River Basin Management Plans of the WFD and EQS reporting” (contract No ENV.C.1/FRA/2016/0014 for the DG ENV). AKTiiVS was sub-contracted by the project’s partner Ramboll for preparing the assessment report for Latvia on the progress in implementation of the WFD Program of Measures.
[2018-2020] A project of the Interreg Estonian-Latvian programme “Water bodies without borders” (WBWB). The overall aim of the project was to support sustainable and economically efficient water use for the Estonian-Latvian trans-boundary river basins Gauja/Koiva and Salaca/Salatsi, improving cooperation between the countries on water issues. To support this, based on information and knowledge exchange activities, revised water body status assessments, economic analysis and public consultations, the joint monitoring programme, assessment of pressures and the action plan of measures was developed for the trans-boundary river basins, as well as knowledge and good practice exchange and training activities were implemented for municipal and measures’ implementing authorities situated in the common water bodies of these river basins.
The main tasks of AKTiiVS as a partner in the project were leading and coordinating the joint Estonian-Latvian work and conducting the analysis for Latvia for the economic analysis activities, as well as contribution into the activities on exchange of knowledge and dissemination of the results in relation to the economic analysis.
Project website: https://wbwb.eu/results/.
Relevant references:
- Pakalniete K., Krūmiņa A., Simo M. (2020) Economic analysis to support setting effective measures for reaching environmental targets of water bodies. A Technical Report of the project „Water bodies without borders” (EstLat 66). Available (in English) here.
[2018-2020] Involvement in the research synthesis project BONUS DESTONY (“Decision Support Tools for management of the Baltic Sea Ecosystem”). AKTiiVS (K.Pakalniete) was contracted for chairing an End-user Core group, providing interaction with end-users and engaging them in information collection, inventory and evaluation of the Decision Support Tools, conducted as part of the project.
[2015-2018] Assignment for the project of BONUS research programme “Wellbeing from the Baltic Sea – applications combining natural science and economics” (BONUS BalticAPP).
Based on a sub-contract with the project partner Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE), AKTiiVS was involved in the project’s work package 2 “Wellbeing from cultural ecosystem services”, which aimed to identify and assess the values of different cultural ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea, and to produce information on the spatial and temporal distribution of these services. The main focus was on recreation, but also other cultural ecosystem services that significantly contribute to human wellbeing, such as aesthetics of landscape, non-use benefits and inspiration, were covered. By implementing environmental valuation studies in selected Baltic Sea countries (Finland, Germany and Latvia), it was analysed how changes in the environmental quality and ecosystem services induced by climate change and eutrophication affect human wellbeing. Value estimates are expressed with qualitative, quantitative and monetary measures.
The main responsibility of AKTiiVS was to implement the valuation study in Latvia for mapping and valuation of the benefits from marine cultural ecosystems services for the Latvian citizens.
Project website: https://blogs.helsinki.fi/balticapp/publications/.
Relevant references:
- Ahtiainen H., Liski E., Pouta E., Soini K., Bertram C., Rehdanz K., Pakalniete K., Meyerhoff J. (2019) Cultural ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea marine environment. AMBIO 2019, 48: 1350-1361, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-019-01239-1.
- Bertram C., Ahtiainen H., Meyerhoff J., Pakalniete K., Pouta E., Rehdanz K. (2020) Contingent Behavior and Asymmetric Preferences for Baltic Sea Coastal Recreation. Environmental and Resource Economics, 75 (2020): 49-78, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10640-019-00388-x.
- See, among others, also story maps “Ecosystem Services and Climate Change in the Baltic Sea” (https://arcg.is/1P5PWG) and “Recreation in the Baltic Sea under Climate Change” (https://arcg.is/1jKSer).
[2017] Assignment for the Estonian Environmental Research Centre on providing training and consultation for the 2nd cycle MSFD Article 8 assessment on the Economic and Social Analysis (ESA) in Estonia. AKTiiVS was contracted for developing the national ESA methodologies, providing on-the-job training and consultations for the Estonian specialists on applying the methodologies and elaborating the assessments.
[2017] Assignment for the project „Implementation and development of key components for the assessment of Status, Pressures and Impacts, and Social and Economic evaluation in the Baltic Sea marine region” (SPICE) financed by the EC. AKTiiVS was sub-contracted by the coordinating partner HELCOM secretariat for contributing into development of methodologies and assessments for the regional economic and social analysis (ESA) for the Baltic Sea region according to the MSFD and HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan needs, including for the HELCOM HOLAS II assessment. The ESA included development of the economic and social analysis of the marine waters’ use, the cost of degradation analysis, the regional baseline for assessing changes in pressures and state and the application of the “ecosystem services” approach.
Project website: https://helcom.fi/helcom-at-work/projects/spice/.
Relevant references:
- Ahtiainen H., Holma M., Mentzer J., Nommann T., Oinonen S., Pakalniete K., Tuhkanen H., Vretborn M. (2018) Recommendations on regional economic and social analyses for European marine areas. Report of HELCOM SPICE project, Task 3.1.4. Available here.
- Ahtiainen H., Holma M., Pakalniete K., Nommann T., Tuhkanen H., Oinonen S., Vretborn M. (2018) Development of a regional “business-as-usual” scenario (BAU) to be used as a baseline in the integrated assessment of the marine environment. Report of HELCOM SPICE project, WP3.2. Aavailable here.
- Ahtiainen H., Holma M., Mentzer J., Nommann T., Oinonen S., Pakalniete K., Tuhkanen H., Vretborn M. (2018) Developing the ecosystem service approach in the ESA framework. Report of HELCOM SPICE project, Task 3.1.3. Available here.
[2016] Assignment with the Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology as the partner of the project financed by the Latvian Environment Protection Fund on performing socioeconomic evaluation of (new) measures in the MSFD program of measures of Latvia. The work covered measures for the state descriptors D2 (alien species), D5 (eutrophication) and D10 (marine litter) and involved assessment of costs and benefits, cost-effectiveness and socioeconomic impact assessment of the measures and organising consultations with sectoral institutions and stakeholders. Reference:
- AKTiiVS (2016) Sociālekonomiskais novērtējums papildus pasākumiem laba jūras vides stāvokļa panākšanai (Socioeconomic evaluation of new measures for achieving good environmental status in the marine waters). Final report of the project. Available (in Latvian) here.
[2016] Assignment under the EC project “Green jobs in the Blue Economy – a bottom-up approach” (for the EC DG ENV). AKTiiVS was sub-contracted by the lead partner Eunomia Research and Consulting Limited for gathering information about initiatives by the actors in maritime sectors that are relevant for greening the blue economy (examples on environmentally friendly practices/operation/actions, “green jobs”). The work involved coordinating partners and gathering the necessary information from the Baltic Sea region countries based on literature review and consultations with actors (e.g. via online survey, individual interviews, a regional workshop).
[2015] Assignment for the Estonian Ministry of Environment on providing consultations and capacity building for preparing the economic elements of the EU WFD River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) and Programs of measures (PoMs) in Estonia. The tasks of AKTiiVS were to develop the national methodologies, to support preparation of the assessments and to provide on-the-job consultations and training for specialists of the Ministry and the team developing the RBMPs and PoMs concerning all elements of the RBMPs and PoMs, including, assessment of policies and measures, economic analysis according to the WFD Article 5 and 9, assessment and economic evaluation (e.g. cost-effectiveness and multi-criteria analysis) of policy measures, analysis of financing and “affordability” of measures and assessment of exemptions to water quality objectives.
[2013 – 2015] Assignment under the LIFE+ Nature and Biodiversity project “Innovative approaches for marine biodiversity monitoring and assessment of conservation status of nature values in the Baltic Sea” (MARMONI) (project No LIFE09 NAT/LV/000238). K.Pakalniete (AKTiiVS) was contracted by the project’s coordinating partner Baltic Environmental Forum for development and application of methodology for the socioeconomic assessment of the marine biodiversity monitoring and status assessment methods to support development of cost-efficient monitoring programs in the project countries. Project website: http://marmoni.balticseaportal.net/wp/. Relevant references:
- Veidemane K. and Pakalniete K. (2015) Socio-economic assessment of indicator-based marine biodiversity monitoring programmes and methods. MARMONI Report. Baltic Environmental Forum, Riga. Available here.
[2014] Assignment for the Ministry of Environment Protection and Regional Development of Latvia (with the partner the Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology) for preparation of the national Programme of measures (PoM) according to the MSFD in Latvia. The work involved elaboration and international coordination of national methodology for the PoM development (including, for the ESA of policy measures), analysis and assessment of policies affecting the marine environment (assessment of their implementation and efficiency) and organising consultations with sectoral institutions and stakeholders. Reference:
- LHEI, AKTiiVS (2014) Priekšizpēte pasākumu programmas izstrādei laba jūras vides stāvokļa panākšanai (Feasibility study for development of program of measures for achieving good status of the marine environment). Final report of the service contract for the Ministry of Environment Protection and Regional Development of Latvia. Available (in Latvian) here.
[2014] Assignment for the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre on economic analysis for updating the WFD Article 5 report and RBMPs in Latvia. AKTiiVS was contracted for preparing the assessments on the economic significance of water use, development trends of water use and cost-recovery of “water services” and uses.
[2013] Assignment for the Ministry of Environment and Regional Development of Latvia for preparing terms of reference for the national Marine Spatial Plan (MSP) in Latvia (Contract No VARAM 2013/42). AKTiiVS (K. Pakalniete) was responsible for preparing the terms of reference and methodology for the socioeconomic elements of the national MSP, including overall methodology for implementing the “ecosystem approach”, socioeconomic valuation of “ecosystem services” and alternative sea use options.
[2011-2013] Assignment under the Central Baltic INTERREG IVA project “Good environmental status through regional coordination and capacity building” (GES-REG). AKTiiVS was sub-contracted by the project’s partner the Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology for building institutional capacity and information base and regional coordination of approaches in the project’s countries for the economic and social analysis (ESA) of use of marine waters and programme of measures for achieving GES. The work involved application of an ecosystem services’ approach, implementation of monetary valuation study for valuing the benefits of improving state of the marine environment, analysis of implementation of the EU policies affecting the marine environment, cost-effectiveness analysis and socioeconomic impacts assessment of policy measures.
Project website: http://gesreg.msi.ttu.ee/en.
Relevant references:
- Pakalniete K. (2013) Harmonising the Economic and Social Analysis for the MSFD Program of measures in the project’s countries. Recommendations’ report. AKTiiVS Ltd. Riga. Report of the GES-REG project. Available here.
- Pakalniete K., Muraško A., Strake S., Aigars J. (2013) Valuing benefits of reaching the MSFD targets by applying the ‘Choice Experiment’ Method. AKTiiVS Ltd. Riga. Latvian study report of the GES-REG project. Available here.
- Pakalniete K., Muraško A. (2013) Database-tool on “baseline policies” for the MSFD Program of measures. Output of the project of the Central Baltic INTERREG IV A Programme 2007-2013 “Good environmental status through regional coordination and capacity building” (GES-REG). AKTiiVS Ltd. Riga. Available here.
- Pakalniete K., Muraško A. (2013) Harmonising the ‘business-as-usual scenario’ development for the MSFD: A study on the ‘baseline policies’. AKTiiVS Ltd. Riga. Study Report of the GES-REG project. Available here.
[2012-2013] Assignment under the Interreg Estonia-Latvia project “Towards joint management of the transboundary Gauja/Koiva river basin district” (Project No EU 38839). AKTiiVS was sub-contracted by the project’s partner the Latvian Ministry of Environment Protection and Regional Development for international coordination (Latvia-Estonia) of approaches and improving institutional capacities for the economic analysis elements of the 2nd RBMPs according to the WFD requirements. The work included conducting studies, developing coordinated methodologies and recommendations for the assessment of socio-economic significance and benefits of water use, the assessment of cost-recovery of water services and the socio-economic evaluation (cost-effectiveness and multi-criteria analysis) of measures for programs of measures. Relevant references:
- Pakalniete K., Fedorovica K. (2013) Economic evaluation of supplementary measures for the WFD programs of measures in Latvia. AKTiiVS Ltd. Riga. Latvian study Report of the Project “Towards joint management of the trans-boundary Gauja/Koiva river basin district”. Available here.
- Pakalniete K., Fedorovica K. (2013) “Baseline scenario” development for the WFD river basin management planning (with focus on agriculture and forestry). AKTiiVS Ltd. Riga. Latvian study Report of the Project “Towards joint management of the trans-boundary Gauja/Koiva river basin district”. Available here.
[2012] Assignment under the project “Comparative study of pressures and measures in the major RBMPs in the EU” (contract No 070311/2011/603663/ETU/D1 for the DG ENV of EC). AKTiiVS was sub-contracted by the project’s partner ACTeon for collecting and providing information from Latvia and Estonia with respect to, among others organisational and transboundary arrangements for the WFD implementation and costs and benefits of the WFD implementation.
[2011] Assignment under the BalticSTERN research network research project “Protection of the Baltic Sea: Benefits, Cost and Policy Instruments” PROBAPS. AKTiiVS was sub-contracted by the Enveco Miljöekonomi AB (the partner of the BalticSTERN research network) on conducting a Contingent Valuation study in Latvia for valuing benefits of reducing eutrophication in the Baltic Sea, including conducting an internationally coordinated national-wide public survey. Reference:
- Ahtiainen H., Artell J., Czajkowski M., Hasler B., Hasselström L., Huhtala A., Meyerhoff J., Smart J., Söderqvist T., Alemu M., Angeli D., Dahlbo K., Fleming-Lehtinen V., Hyytiäinen K., Karlõseva A., Khaleeva Y., Maar M., Martinsen L., Nõmmann T., Pakalniete K., Oskolokaite I., Semeniene D. (2014) Benefits of meeting nutrient reduction targets for the Baltic Sea – a contingent valuation study in the nine coastal states. Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy, Volume 3 (2014), Issue 3: 278-305, https://doi.org/10.1080/21606544.2014.901923.
[2010-2011] Assignment under the project of the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Program “BalticSeaPlan – Introducing Maritime Spatial Planning in the Baltic Sea” (Project No #016). AKTiiVS was sub-contracted by the project’s partner Baltic Environmental Forum for conducting a study on the analysis of costs and benefits to align overlapping interests of alternative sea uses – the coastal tourism & recreation and off-shore wind energy production, in the Western coast of Latvia. The work involved analysis of the development scenarios of the uses and the costs and benefits of alternative sea use options and related ecosystem services, as well as conducting consultations with relevant stakeholders from both sectors. Reference:
- Pakalniete K. (2011) Izmaksu un ieguvumu analīze jūras izmantošanas interešu līdzsvarošanai jūras telpiskajai plānošanai (Analysis of costs and benefits for balancing interests of the sea use for the Maritime Spatial Planning). AKTiiVS Ltd. Riga. Report of the project of the Baltic Sea Region Program “BalticSeaPlan – Development of Maritime spatial planning in the Baltic Sea”. Available (in Latvian) here.
[2011] Assignments for the Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology for implementing obligations of the EU MSFD in Latvia with respect to the economic and social analysis (ESA) for the national “Initial Assessment” of Latvia according to the MSFD Article 8. The work included development of (internationally coordinated) national methodologies and preparing assessments for the ESA of marine waters’ use (applying the “ecosystem services approach” and the “marine accounts approach”), the development trends of marine uses/sectors and the cost of degradation of the marine environment. Relevant references:
- Pakalniete K., Muraško A. (2012) Metodoloģiju izstrāde, ekonomisko novērtējumu un ziņojuma sagatavošana par sociālekonomiskās analīzes jautājumiem Latvijas nacionālajam ziņojumam „Jūras novērtējums”: JŪRAS ŪDEŅU IZMANTOŠANAS EKONOMISKĀ UN SOCIĀLĀ ANALĪZE. AKTiiVS Ltd. Riga. (A technical report for the Latvian national “Initial Assessment” (2011) on the economic and social analysis of marine waters’ use.) Available (in Latvian) here.
- Pakalniete K., Muraško A. (2012) Metodoloģiju izstrāde, ekonomisko novērtējumu un ziņojuma sagatavošana par sociālekonomiskās analīzes jautājumiem Latvijas nacionālajam ziņojumam „Jūras novērtējums”: SLODŽU IESPĒJAMĀS ATTĪSTĪBAS TENDENČU ANALĪZE („BĀZES SCENĀRIJA” IZSTRĀDE). AKTiiVS Ltd. Riga. (A technical report for the Latvian national “Initial Assessment” (2011) on the baseline scenario development.) Available (in Latvian) here.
- Pakalniete K. (2012) Metodoloģiju izstrāde, ekonomisko novērtējumu un ziņojuma sagatavošana par sociālekonomiskās analīzes jautājumiem Latvijas nacionālajam ziņojumam „Jūras novērtējums”: JŪRAS VIDES DEGRADĀCIJAS RADĪTO ZAUDĒJUMU ANALĪZE. AKTiiVS Ltd. Riga. (A technical report for the Latvian national “Initial Assessment” (2011) on the costs of degradation analysis.) Available (in Latvian) here.
[2009-2011] Involvement in the research project of the EU 6th Research Framework Programme “Water Scenarios for Europe and for Neighbouring States” (SCENES) (Contract No: 036822) by the participation of K.Pakalniete (AKTiiVS) in the Pan-European expert panel and Eastern Baltic stakeholders’ panel, which were organised as part of the project, to develop the scenarios on water status and pressures (up to 2050) for the pan-European and the Eastern Baltic regions.
[2009] Assignment under the LIFE-Nature project “Marine Protected Areas in the Eastern Baltic Sea” (LIFE05NAT/LV/000100). AKTiiVS was sub-contracted by the project’s partner Baltic Environmental Forum” for conducting a study on assessing the socio-economic impacts (costs and benefits) of designating the Marine Protected Areas (MPA) and implementing the Nature Protection and Management Plans in Latvia. Reference:
- Pakalniete K. (2009) AJT izveidošanas un dabas aizsardzības pasākumu ieviešanas sociālekonomisko ietekmju izvērtējums (Assessment of socioeconomic impacts from designating MPA and implementing nature conservation measures). Report of a LIFE-Nature project “Marine Protected Areas in the Eastern Baltic Sea” (LIFE05NAT/LV/000100). Available (in Latvian) here.
[2009] Assignment under the project “Assessment of the agricultural measures included in the draft RBMPs (Tender ENV.D.2/SER/2009/0002r for the DG ENV of EC). AKTiiVS was sub-contracted by the project’s partner ACTeon for reviewing agricultural measures that are included in the Latvian RBMPs and providing input for preparing a synthesis report.
[2008-2010] Assignments for preparing economic analysis for the Lithuanian national RBMPs according to the EU WFD. AKTiiVS was contracted by the project partner AAPC as part of implementing the projects for the Lithuanian Environment Protection Agency (EPA) (Open Tender No. 62298 and No. 68468) for providing recommendations and assessments, as well as training for Lithuanian EPA on the economic analysis of developing the RBMPs (e.g. socioeconomic assessment of water uses, economic analysis for developing programme of measures and economic analysis for applying exemptions to water quality objectives).
[2008] Assignment for preparing economic analysis for the Latvian national RBMPs according to the EU WFD. AKTiiVS was contracted by the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre for preparing methodologies and assessments on the economic analysis of developing the RBMPs, including on the socioeconomic assessment of water uses, the cost-recovery assessment, the economic analysis for developing programme of measures and the economic analysis for applying exemptions to water quality objectives.
[2007] Assignment for the project “ENCO-BALT – Capacity building on the assessment of environmental and resource costs to support implementation of the EU WFD in the Baltic Member States” (PPA04/MC/6/5). AKTiiVS was contracted by the project’s partner ACTeon for coordinating approaches, testing methods, providing training for responsible public authorities and other institutional capacity building activities with respect to the assessment of “environmental costs” and economic valuation of water ecosystems in Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania.
[2004-2007] Assignment for the research project of the EU 6th Research Framework Programme “SWIFT-WFD – Screening methods for water data information in support of the implementation of the Water Framework Directive” (Contract No SSPI-CI-2003-502492). K.Pakalniete (AKTiiVS) was contracted by the project’s partner ACTeon for conducting the Latvian case study, which contributed into development of a joint methodological framework for assessing socio-economic impacts of introducing new water quality monitoring methods and tools and provided assessments of the socio-economic impacts (possible costs and benefits) of introducing the new monitoring methods in Latvia.
[2004-2006] Assignment for the research project of the EU 6th Research Framework Programme “BRIDGE – Background criteria for the identification of groundwater thresholds” (Contract No SSPI-2004-006538) on development of methodologies for setting environmentally and economically efficient water quality threshold values for groundwater. K.Pakalniete (AKTiiVS) was contracted by the project’s partner ACTeon for conducting the Latvian case study, which included an assessment of the socioeconomic impacts of proposed groundwater threshold values and implementation of an economic valuation study (applying the Contingent Valuation method) for valuing the benefits of improving groundwater quality in Riga city.
[2005-2006] Assignment for the project of the EU ISPA program “Technical assistance in the preparation of the integrated management plan for Salaca river basin according to the EU WFD” (EuropeAid 116327/D/SV/LV). AKTIIVS (K.Pakalniete) was contracted by the project’s partner Jacobs Engineering UK Ltd. for development and testing of methodologies and preparing assessments for the “baseline scenario” development and applying exemptions to water quality objectives for the Salaca river basin in Latvia.
[2004] Assignment for preparation of the Latvian national report according to the EU WFD Article 5. AKTiiVS (K.Pakalniete) was contracted by the State Geological Service for preparation of the economic analysis according to the EU WFD Article 5 requirements, including on the “baseline scenario” development and the cost-recovery assessment.
[2003-2004] Assignment for the project “Assistance in carrying out the Economic Analysis according to the EU WFDin the River Basin Districts of Latvia” (Project “SENTER”, PPA02/LV/7/3). K.Pakalniete was contracted by the project’s partner ELLE Ltd. for carrying out the economic analysis for implementation of the WFD in Latvia. The work included developing methodologies and assessments on the socio-economic analysis of water use, the cost-recovery of water services, the “baseline scenario” development, the cost-effectiveness analysis of measures and the economic analysis for “exemptions”, as well as participation in the capacity building activities and contribution into preparation of a manual for Latvia on the economic elements of the WFD.