Towards North-Kurzeme Coastal Region Development: Conflict Resolution and Partnership Building

1. Towards North-Kurzeme Coastal Region Development: Conflict Resolution and Partnership Building Prof. Dr. Raimonds Ernšteins Presentation prepared by Diāna Šulga, M.Paed. Institute for Environmental Science and Management, University of Latvia,Raina blvd. 19, Riga, LV-1586, Latvia;Tel. +371 7034575;E-mail: raimonds.ernsteins@lu.lv

2. Innovation for the regional and local development in North-Kurzeme is partly based on ideas well known theoretically, but not yet wide spread in Latvia and never used in the practical life of this coastal region, including also learning to work together.

3. North-Kurzeme Coastal Region is quite well known in Latvia because of the early co-operation among several local municipalities started in 1997, however, • publicparticipation and the • collaborative work wider in the field among different other institutions and municipalities in the region still should be strengthened.

4. The first success for regional development was the project agreement itself. Project proposal EC LIFE regional sustainable development project “Livonian Green Coastal Region – 21” was prepared by the following project partners: • Dundaga Municipality (as a contractor); • Kolka Municipality; • Roja Municipality; • Institute for Environmental Science and Management (IESAM), University of Latvia; • Slītere National Park (SNP); • Livonian Union (NGO of minority Livonian population); • Culture-historical protected territory Livonian Coast as the main stakeholders in the region (except also forestry, fisheries, etc.) covering about 800 km² in NW part of Latvia and situated both along the coast of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga.

5. The main objective of the EC LIFE regional sustainable development project “Livonian Green Coastal Region – 21” was: to start to do things properly before it is too late or too expensive – to focus the attention to the coastal region of NW part of Latvia in order to minimise the impact of different activities to the environment of the coastal zone and to integrate the sustainability into each sector of the region.

6. The project anticipated • to carry out the Agenda 21 planning process with broad involvement of the society and other stakeholders – Round table Forum as well as • founding a new institution - Regional Sustainable Development Agency or Regional Agenda 21 Centre - jointly managed by all the relevant organisations of the region, • to fulfil the gap between the old management system of the municipalities and new demands and problems emerging in the free market economy system.

7. The main, very well measurable possibility to evaluate the process of the sustainable development on the whole, is considered to be the special criterions and indicators worked out during the Agenda 21 planning process.

8. A special hypothesis of the successful realization of LIFE project, as a kind of Action Program for Sustainable development of Livonian green coastal region, was dveloped.

9. Public participation and all stakeholders co-operation for environmental and sustainable coastal development are to be seen not only via separate innovative demonstration projects or activities but shall be planned and participatory implemented as coherent whole Demonstration Network Package: 1- Conflict Resolution and Partnership Practice 2- Round Table Forum and Public Participation 3- Council for Sustainable Development of Coastal Region – collaborative decision planning 4- Rural Communication and Information Network: web, booklets, data banks and services 5- Coastal Region Agenda 21 process and guidelines 6- Regional Sustainable Development Implementation Demo projects 7- Coastal Region Agenda 21 Centre ( also Demo project)

10. Long term objective of the Project: • To create the sustainable development system of the NW coastal zone of Latvia and to develop successful co-operation with similar institutions around the Baltic Sea Short term objectiveof the Project: • To give an investment and contribution to facilitate the forming of the base for the planning, implementation and controlling system of Agenda 21 of the NW coastal zone of Latvia More outcomes: • communication sub-projects for dissemination of information, • The results spread out through the involvement of the representatives from other municipalities and bodies of the region, through Association of Local Municipalities of North Kurzeme, • Developing knowledge and exchange of the experience among responsible and other organizations of the coastal region and also around the Baltic Sea on the sustainability and solutions for the coastal zone development for the 21st century.

11. The Regional Agenda 21 centre was planned as a legal organisation able to fulfil the gap between the old structures of the local governments, other local or regional institutions, and the new demands and approaches of the 21st Century. The structure and the detailed functions of this Centre were discussed and decided during the project and main tasks of this organisation are as follows: • Information for local inhabitants and guests on Sustainable Coastal Development and Agenda 21; • Involvement of the local society in the decision-making and developing of the sustainability; • Regional Education Centre on Sustainable Coastal Development and Agenda 21; • Preparation of the Local Agenda 21 (planning process), leading to the implementation and monitoring; • Organising local, regional, national and international seminars, workshops, meetings aimed at the sustainability of the coastal territories; • Environmental consultation for the local inhabitants, entrepreneurs, local governments etc.; • Leading, co-ordinating and participating in different projects concerning sustainable coastal development; • Fulfilment of Bridge functions by the Centre to ensure better co-operation among local organisations; • Tight co-operation of the Centre with other regional, national and foreign institutions in the field; • Partial arrangement of the office as the Eco-tourism Information Centre; • Periodical training of professionals working in practical environmental conservation (the work methods of professionals also had to be changed from the command and punishment to the explaining and educating of the society) organised in the Centre until the establishment of the Slitere Training Centre at the National Park • Wide involvement of local schools in the working process of the Agenda 21 Centre.

12. “Livonian Green Coastal Region - 21” WG – working group

13. “Livonian Green Coastal Region - 21” The organigram represents both parts of project management: • Supervision Council (SC) as the collaborative shared decision making body consisting of beneficiary/contractor and delegated senior officials from all 6 project partners and • Regional Agenda 21 Centre (RA-21 centre) as project implementation task force (executive body) consisting of project coordinator (manager) and particular number (proposed by partners and appointed by SC) of appropriately qualified specialists (program coordinators).

14. Some of the project experience dissemination practical results Municipalities revised their Development and Spatial Plans: • -1- Kolka municipality started Territorial planning process, where recommendations were and representatives of LIFE project/RA-21 centre took part; • -2- Roja municipality was developing Detailed planning for particular coastal territories where sustainability issues were encountered; • -3- Dundaga municipality in cooperation with Kolka and Ance municipalities prepared assessment and drafted unification proposal

15. Some of the project experience dissemination practical results IESAM (University of Latvia) integrated results of the project in its education practice: • -1- into training process itself, including involvement of Master students as post-experience professionals for stakeholder seminars, surveys etc. in the North Kurzeme pilot region and LIFE project itself; • -2- has prepared several courses, resource materials and manuals etc.

16. Some of the project experience dissemination practical results There was a great number of dissemination activities not being pre-planned – meetings in the Ministry of Environment, Self-government Union, different municipalities, seminars, international undertakings, incl. UNESCO etc.

17. Project results Difficulties to explain LA-21 planning process and system in easy understandable way for the local inhabitants can influence the result. A lot of explanations are needed to seek for more and more understandable ways of approaching local inhabitants and raising the motivation for the sustainable activities.

18. Project results Agenda 21 process is one of the main project outcomes as well as carrying out the above mentioned five Regional Development action programs - foreseeing coordinated carrying out a number of activities by different organizations and many of them for the first time in the region, including preparation and realization of sustainable development demonstration projects in co-operation with project partners.

19. Project results Demonstration projects included both re-building of infrastructure and establishing of new sustainable content demonstration. All four – environment, economics, social and culture - Sustainable development capitals were tackled, each one together and also separate for each demo site.

20. Project results In order to facilitate and ensure successful collaboration between the politicians, administrations of the local authorities and other important stakeholders with general public and different societal interest groups in the region, as well as to integrate the principals of sustainability in the decision making and implementation procedures the following approaches and methods were developed during the second part of the project: • council for sustainable development in the region for partnership co-operation and "top-down" implementation, • round table forum for grassroots initiatives and participatory development and ''bottom up " implementation, • regional sustainable development process itself - visioning and indicators elaboration for process development and inter-sector progress measurement and also practical activities,

21. Conclusion “Livonian Green Coastal Region – 21” LIFE project initiated regional sustainable development initial process is not only ongoing successfully, but also works for the future development facilitation and motivation - attracts many other initiatives, creates new ideas, new project developments etc. Regional/Local Agenda 21 approach provides necessary impulse as well as valuable model for both framework and process of regional sustainable development.