Progress has been made in the implementation of Latvia’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan 2023–2027, with several environmental and climate result indicators already exceeding the target values set for 2027 in 2025. This is confirmed by a report prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture on the results of the CAP Strategic Plan indicators, which the Government took note of on Tuesday, 25 August.
The report assesses progress towards the environmental and climate result indicators set out in the CAP Strategic Plan. The performance of the CAP Strategic Plan is assessed using a common CAP performance, monitoring and evaluation system developed by the European Commission. Data for 2024 and 2025 show that progress towards achieving the indicators is increasing each year. In 2025, the target values set for 2027 were exceeded in several environmental and climate areas, including adaptation to climate change, carbon sequestration in soil and biomass, improving air quality, nutrient management and reducing the use of pesticides. This indicates strong interest among farmers in implementing CAP support measures in these areas.
In areas where progress towards achieving the targets has been slower, such as organic farming, biodiversity and forestry, the support conditions and support rates have been reviewed to encourage greater participation by farmers in the relevant measures.
The CAP Strategic Plan is one of the key instruments for promoting more sustainable farming practices. Of the total funding under the plan, 47.5% is allocated to achieving climate change mitigation and environmental objectives. CAP support helps implement enhanced environmental requirements, agri-environment payments, eco-schemes, environmental investments and sustainable forest management measures.
Measures under the CAP Strategic Plan aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing carbon dioxide (CO₂) sequestration are implemented in line with the measures and targets set out in the updated National Energy and Climate Plan 2021–2030. The development of the CAP Strategic Plan also took into account Latvia’s commitments to reduce ammonia emissions and the measures aimed at reducing emissions from the agricultural sector set out in the “Air Pollutant Emission Reduction Action Plan 2020–2030”.
Various environmental and climate measures are being implemented in Latvia, and the CAP Strategic Plan is one of the instruments for achieving these objectives. Experience to date shows that the measures and funding under the CAP Strategic Plan alone cannot ensure the fulfilment of all of Latvia’s climate and environmental commitments. Therefore, the implementation of other national policy instruments and measures is also necessary.
