International seminar "Wetland's Role for Climate Change Mitigation and Defense" to be held in Rīga

On July 7 and 8, 2026, Rīga will host an international seminar bringing together scientists, military experts, policymakers and nature conservation specialists to discuss the role of wetlands in addressing climate change and national security challenges.

The first day of the seminar will take place at the House of Nature, University of Latvia (Jelgavas Street 1, Rīga), and will feature four thematic sessions. The opening session will address wetland policy and planning at both national and EU level, including Latvia's peatland rewetting projects and perspectives from the Ministry of Agriculture and European Commission representatives. The second session will focus on peatland rewetting as a tool for climate change mitigation, drawing on experiences from Latvia, Lithuania and the Netherlands. The afternoon sessions will examine the role of peatlands in security and defence – including historical and contemporary case studies from Latvia and Lithuania – and explore how hydrological modifications affect human security, with speakers from the United States, France, Germany and Latvia. The first day will close with an informal networking dinner at the Botanical Garden of University of Latvia.

The second day will be devoted to field visits to two of Latvia's most significant mire landscapes. Participants will visit Cenas Mire – a raised bog where active restoration has been carried out since 2006 – guided by Dr. Māra Pakalne, and Tīreļu Mire, guided by Kārlis Dambītis. Both sites illustrate the dual significance of wetland ecosystems: as carbon sinks critical to climate mitigation, and as terrain with direct implications for defence planning.

The conference is organised by Ministry of Defence of Latvia, National Armed Forces of Latvia, the NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence (CCASCOE), and University of Latvia.

The seminar will be conducted in English.

Registration: https://bit.ly/3Qkz29o

Further information: janis.linins@mod.gov.lv