NATURAL RESOURCE SIGNIFICANCE IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT TRENDS IN LATVIA: THE FIVE-YEAR PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

In the previous research by author conducted in 2016 [1], the indicators characterizing natural resources in Latvian rural municipalities were analysed, looking for connections with the overall territorial development and growth. The study concluded that there are significant differences in the development of municipalities, using the complex territorial development index (TDI) and analysing the available natural resources, such as forests, agricultural land areas, receiving EU funding, etc. The municipalities with the highest TDI values did not have significant natural resources. Their development was mainly determined by their location - close to the capital Riga, which is the largest economic centre in Latvia, thus forming a distinctly monocentric spatial structure. The positions of the Latvian government regarding regional policy, which are included in the National Development Plan 2021-2027, are oriented towards the promotion of polycentrism, thus forming the basis for sustainable and balanced development of all territories. Policy makers point out that the fact that growth has not been territorially balanced, as inequality is still high and the growth of remote regions lags behind the Riga region, creates significant long-term risks. This study analyses whether there have been changes in the five-year period, both in terms of the overall territorial development of rural municipalities, as well as in evaluating the changes in natural resource indicators, raising the issue of the effective use of natural resources.