On 4 February, representatives of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia met with Kaspars Melnis, Minister for Climate and Energy.
The meeting brought together Nina Hvid Enevoldsen, Director of the Office, and Gints Janums, Energy and Sustainability Advisor, alongside representatives of both institutions. The courtesy meeting highlighted 35 years of Nordic-Baltic cooperation and served as an opportunity to strengthen dialogue on shared energy and climate priorities.
Discussions focused on the upcoming energy conference 'Navigating Energy Pathways for the Baltic Sea Region' on 11 February organised by the World Energy Council Latvia and the Ministry of Climate and Energy of Latvia, in collaboration with the World Energy Council global community. Ms Enevoldsen will participate at the event as a keynote speaker and panelist. She will contribute to the session “Community Engagement and Actionable Steps to Achieve Energy Affordability and Reliability”, addressing community acceptance, solutions to the concept “Not in My Back Yard”, the role and capacity of municipalities, gaps between policy planning and local action, and the importance of cooperation in balancing the energy trilemma.
The minister confirmed his participation in the NB8 Energy Conference in Riga in September 2026 and welcomed closer, more formalised Nordic-Baltic cooperation. Preparations for the Energy Summit in Daugavpils in October 2026 also were discussed, with emphasis on energy independence in border regions.
Participants exchanged views on renewable energy development, including solar, offshore and onshore wind and biomass, as well as energy independence and opportunities for cross-border trade within the EU grid. The role of cities as hubs for resilience, stakeholder engagement and rural development was also highlighted.
