December, 2022.
AKTiiVS completed a study on assessment of socioeconomic impacts of polders and their possible management scenarios in Latvia.
Within the project LIFE18 IPE/LV/000014 “Implementation of Latvian river basin management plans for achieving good status of surface waters” (LIFE GOODWATER IP), AKTiiVS was contracted for conducting an assessment of socioeconomic impacts of polders and their possible management scenarios, as well as preparing guidelines for the socioeconomic impact assessment of polder areas. The aim of the assessment was, based on the socioeconomic impact assessment of polders and their possible management scenarios, to provide data-driven assessments and proposals for polder management, taking into account the objectives and requirements of water quality and nature protection. The assessment was prepared in cooperation with experts from the Latvian Fund for Nature and the World Fund for Nature, as well as in consultation with sectoral institutions and experts both in individual consultations and in wider expert meetings. The assessment covers such impacts as the benefits from agricultural production in polder areas, financial costs of maintaining the polders, impact on flood risk prevention, water quality and nature protection. The results include also guidelines, which could be applied to the analysis of costs and benefits for such polders in Latvia in relation to territories with diverse and conflicting purposes of use (e.g. for agricultural production, flood prevention, water quality and nature protection). The results are summarised in a report, which is available in Latvian (with a summary in English) here. Read more about the assessment here.