Over 500 experts and decision-makers from across the Baltic Sea region will attend the 17th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) in the Estonian capital, Tallinn, on 11-13 May 2026, BNS reports. The central theme of this year’s forum is resilience. The conference participants will discuss regional security and…
The water level in the Baltic Sea has fallen to one of the lowest levels in recorded history, ELTA reports. On the Latvian coast, the sea level has dropped to around 65 cm below zero level, according to the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre (LVGMC). In Liepaja and Ventspils, the sea level is close…
Power plants in Estonia generated 3,619 GWh of electricity from renewable sources in 2025, which was up 7% from 2024, according to transmission system operator Elering, ERR reports. Renewable energy accounted for 68% of total electricity production and covered 41% of total electricity consumption in 2025. Electricity production from wind power amounted to 1,324 GWh…
Estonia’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications has announced a procurement tender for a consultant to plan a 600-MW nuclear power plant in the country, ERR reports. Under the contract, the winning bidder will help compile baseline planning guidelines and an environmental impact assessment plan for the project. The consultant will provide advice on site…
The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has approved amendments raising the excise taxes on alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, and sweetened beverages as of 2026, BNS reports. The aim is to reduce the consumption of products that are harmful to the environment and health, LSM reports. The excise duty on strong alcoholic beverages will rise as of…
Latvia’s ruling coalition has failed to secure a quorum in the parliament, the Saeima, for two weeks during votes on contested bills, LETA reports. On 2 October 2025, opposition parties again broke the quorum to preempt a final vote on transposing EU directives on emission trading systems into national law. Only 48 out of 100…
An anchor belonging to the Russian “shadow fleet” oil tanker, Eagle S, which is suspected of damaging several undersea cables in the Baltic Sea, has been retrieved from the seabed, YLE reports. The anchor was raised by the Swedish Navy’s submarine rescue ship, Belos. Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation (KRP) will now begin analysing the…
Breaking up Estonia’s state-owned energy group, Eesti Energia, would not improve energy security, Finance Minister Jürgen Ligi stated, ERR reports. Speaking in an interview with Vikerraadio, Ligi insisted that Eesti Energia provided an essential service for society. He said that building a new gas power plant in Narva was a “good idea,” but stressed the…
Last year was Lithuania’s warmest ever recorded, according to data from the Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service (LHMT), BNS reports. The average annual air temperature in Lithuania was 9.5 degrees Celsius in 2024, which was 2.1 degrees higher than the average temperature in 1991-2020. All months except January were warmer in 2024 than the long-term average. The…