Evaluating the Effectiveness of Agricultural and Forestry Policies in Achieving Environmental Goals through Environmental Policy Documents

Abstract

To achieve the set climate targets by 2030 and become climate neutral by 2050, each Member State must develop a National Energy and Climate Plan (hereinafter – NECP) that contains practical and effective measures to achieve the targets set. The effectiveness of the agricultural and forestry measures defined in the Latvian NECP was assessed through the definition of appropriate indicators, an expert survey, and a composite sustainability index. The linkage between the measures or action lines in the Latvian NECP related to agriculture and forestry, the European Green Deal measures and the objectives of the European Union Bioeconomy Strategy was assessed. The results show that the effectiveness of agricultural and forestry measures is most influenced by factors such as quality, financing, and specificity. The description of the measures should be more detailed, with specific activities, indicators to be achieved, and amounts and funding sources planned for each activity. The lowest scoring measures are specific measures whose impacts cannot be measured and are not explicitly mentioned as relevant in the European Bioeconomy Strategy, the European Green Deal.