Latvia

Friends of the Earth Latvia / latvijas zemes draugi was established in 1987. Since Latvia declared independence, latvijas zemes draugi has been the largest NGO in Latvia. It has more than 3200 individual supporters and 64 local branches at the moment.

Latvijas zemes draugi is a typical grassroots organisation, working mainly on supporting local environmental initiatives, but we also carry out activities at national and international levels. Our current campaigns focus on forests, the sea coast, dune protection, alternative energy, organic agriculture, and cultural and international contact programmes. Each year, latvijas zemes draugi organises a “Sea Week”, which culminates in a “Green Singing Festival”.

Latvijas zemes draugi also organises protest campaigns on issues including hazardous waste problems in Latvia, EU accession transparency, regional planning, and insufficient EIA procedure cases. Our largest campaign is against the construction of a new offshore oil terminal in the Baltic Sea, near the coast of Latvia.