Ecology, EU – Baltic States, Financial Services, Latvia

If the more ambitious plan of the EU is approved, the EU will pay up to EUR 15 billion per year to help poorer nations tackle climate change, according to the European Commission's estimates. All 27 EU member states are expected to contribute, writes LETA.

In this case, Latvia will have to pay EUR 28 million a year to support the EU climate change initiative. On the other hand, if the project is downsized, Latvia will have to pay EUR 5 million a year.

It is unclear how Latvia will help world's third countries limit their emissions if it is the third poorest country in the EU at the moment, and it has certain liabilities regarding loan payments to international lenders until 2015, the Foreign Ministry points out. Latvia's position on the matter will be presented at a meeting of the European Council this evening.

Taking into consideration Latvia's unsteady financial situation, it is baffling why, under the new initiative, Latvia is treated the same as other EU member states. "Of course, there has to be joint responsibility, but at the same time this responsibility must be differentiated, depending on each country's pollution levels," said World Wide Fund for Nature expert Janis Brizga.

Latvia is one of the greenest EU member states, the level of CO2 emissions per capita in Latvia is twice as small as the EU average level. Therefore, the industrialized European nations should contribute more to the new climate change initiative, Brizga believes.