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The Minister of Climate and Energy Agrees with LVM on the Cooperation in Achieving Latvia's Climate Goals

On 19 May, the Minister of Climate and Energy of the Republic of Latvia Raimonds Čudars visited JSC “Latvia's State Forests” (LVM) Zemgale region customer centre in Jelgava, to meet with the Chairman of the LVM Board Pēters Putniņš and discuss the opportunities of the forest industry to contribute to global climate change mitigation.

During the meeting, Pēters Putniņš emphasized that from the point of view of forest cultivation a very important contribution to mitigating global climate change is made by the ability of a well-planted and well-maintained forest to absorb carbon. A more productive and fast-growing forest stand, in the restoration of which high-quality and selected forest seedlings are used, attracts more carbon, and even now the most productive stands are able to attract 10 to 12 tonnes of CO2 per hectare per year.

The Minister of Climate and Energy Raimonds Čudars said during the meeting: “The Latvian forest industry and JSC “Latvia's State Forests” play a very important role in achieving the climate goals of our country. I am particularly pleased that during today's meeting we have agreed on further cooperation both at the level of experts and knowledge exchange, and at the level of future projects. In Latvia, forest land is one of the most important resources, which is the basis for the development of a green and sustainable economy.”

The meeting place has a special meaning – the LVM Zemgale region customer centre in Jelgava is distinguished by the application of environmentally friendly and innovative solutions. Building structures of the customer centre are made of exposed glued wood, insulation is made of wooden fibres, wall, ceiling and floor finish – of wooden materials. The timber used in the implementation of the project is made from approximately 1200 m3 of round wood materials. This volume of woods grows in Latvian forests in about 25 minutes. When one cubic metre of wood grows, 1000 kg of CO2 is absorbed, and 727 kg of oxygen is produced.

Wood products act as carbon stores – carbon is bound in them and safely stored for as long as the wooden building, furniture and other products last. An equally important aspect is the use of wood biomass for heating since it gives the opportunity not only to reduce the heating bills, but also to replace the use of fossil carbon (coal, gas, oil products), as well as, taking into account that wood is grown in Latvia, to ensure the security and independence of heat supply.