Latvian team carried out two related pilot projects — one at the regional level and one at the national level

Latvian Baltic Sea2Land team conducted two distinct yet interconnected pilot projects on regional and national levels. The regional pilot focused on developing a Coastal Thematic Plan for the Kurzeme region, while the national pilot centered on the National Coastal Plan.

During the piloting phase, the regional team undertook extensive efforts to engage stakeholders from various levels and representing diverse interests. Several workshops and working groups were organized, involving over 250 participants. Highlighting lessons learned, the team emphasized the challenge of finding the right focus and approach in an area as multifaceted as the coast, which intersects numerous interests, sectors, and conflicts. Effective stakeholder engagement was deemed crucial due to the involvement of local, regional, and national levels, spanning tourism, environmental concerns, cultural heritage, blue economy sectors, housing, and public infrastructure. Another challenge that was identified by Kurzeme Planning Region team is that there is ongoing planning at both local and national levels, underscoring the risk of stakeholder fatigue.

The national pilot case was closely linked to the interim assessment of Latvia’s Thematic Coastal Plan. While the primary task was to evaluate the impact of public infrastructure on coastal development, the introduction of the MLG approach broadened the scope to include blue economy, mobility, nature and environment, and social capital alongside tourism. These topics were discussed during workshops and site visits in coastal municipalities, focusing on the concept of good coastal living. The piloting phase also helped identify gaps and challenges in coastal planning. One key issue highlighted by stakeholders was there is a the lack of strategic coordination among sectors, resulting in fragmented planning and limited shared understanding across different areas of development.

Additionally, a coastal landscape assessment was conducted during the pilot phase, yielding valuable insights into landscape values and specifics pertinent to both national and regional pilot cases.

Both Latvian pilot cases tested the Sea2Land Navigator tool, each using it in different ways. The regional pilot explored the multi-level governance (MLG) approach in greater depth, with the team concluding that the tool was a valuable source of inspiration and new knowledge. Meanwhile, the national pilot used the Navigator to broaden the scope of the Coastal Plan assessment, incorporating additional themes for re-evaluation and future integration into coastal and maritime spatial planning and management. Additionally, the Data Hub provided essential information for landscape mapping, further supporting the planning process.

Overall, the pilot phase has laid crucial groundwork for the successful development of the Kurzeme Region Coastal Thematic Plan, facilitating justification and advocacy at the national level for continued investment and coastal development solutions. Whereas the national pilot has gained valuable insights for future spatial planning strategies, especially, land-sea interactions and integration with the Latvian Maritime Spatial plan.

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