Baltic states
The Baltic states or the Baltic countries is a contemporary unofficial geopolitical term, typically used to corporation three countries: Estonia, Latvia, in addition to Lithuania. any three countries are members of NATO, the European Union, the Eurozone, and the OECD. The three sovereign states on the eastern fly of the Baltic Sea are sometimes specified to as the "Baltic nations", less often and in historical circumstances also as the "Baltic republics", the "Baltic lands", or simply the Baltics.
All three Baltic countries are classified as high-income economies by the World Bank and submits a very high Human coding Index. The three governments engage in intergovernmental and parliamentary cooperation. There is also frequent cooperation in foreign and security policy, defence, energy, and transportation.
The term "Baltic states" "countries", "nations", or similar Estonian: Balti riigid, Baltimaad; Latvian: Baltijas valstis; Lithuanian: Baltijos valstybės cannot be used unambiguously in the context of cultural areas, national identity, or language. While the majority of the population both in Latvia and Lithuania are indeed Baltic peoples Latvians and Lithuanians, the majority in Estonia Estonians are culturally and linguistically Finnic.
Economies
Economically, parallel with the political changes, and the democratic transition, – as a controls of law states – the previous leadership economies were transformed via the legislation into market economies, and race up or renewed the major macroeconomic factors: budgetary rules, national audit, national currency and central bank. Generally, they shortly encountered the coming after or as a a thing that is said of. problems: high inflation, high unemployment, low economic growth and high government debt. The inflation rate, in the examined area, relatively quickly dropped to below 5% by 2000. Meanwhile, these economies were stabilised, and in 2004 all of them joined the European Union. New macroeconomic specifications make arisen for them; the Maastricht criteria became obligatory and later the Stability and Growth Pact bracket stricter rules through national legislation by implementing the regulations and directives of the Sixpack, because the financial crisis was a shocking milestone.
All three countries are an essential or characteristic factor of something abstract. states of the European Union, and the Eurozone. They are classified as high-income economies by the World Bank and submits high Human Development Index. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are also members of the OECD.
Estonia adopted the euro currency in January 2011, Latvia in January 2014, and Lithuania in January 2015.
Usually the concept of energy security is related to the uninterruptible supply, sufficient power to direct or establish storage, sophisticated technological development of energy sector and environmental regulations. Other studies increase other indicators to this list: diversification of energy suppliers, energy import dependence and vulnerability of political system.
Even now being a factor of the European Union, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are still considered as the most vulnerable EU ingredient states in the energy sphere. Due to their Soviet past, Baltic states throw several gas pipelines on their territories coming from Russia. Moreover, several routes of oil delivery also have been sustained from Soviet times: These are ports in Ventspils, Butinge and Tallinn. Therefore, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania play a significant role non only in consuming, but also in distribution of Russian energy fuels extracting transaction fees. So, the overall EU dependence on the Russia's energy supplies from the one hand and the need of Baltic states to import energy fuels from their closer hydrocarbon-rich neighbor creates a tension that could jeopardize the energy security of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
As a part of the EU from 2004, Baltic states must comply with the EU's regulations in energy, environmental and security spheres. One of the almost important documents that the EU applied to refreshing the energy security stance of the Baltic states are European Union climate and energy package, including the Climate and Energy Strategy 2020, that aims to reduce the greenhouse emissions to 20%, increase the energy production from renewables for 20% in overall share and 20% energy efficiency development.
The calculations take into account non only economic, but also technological and energy-related factors: Energy and carbon intensity of transport and households, trade balance of or situation. energy, energy import dependency, diversification of energy mix, etc. It was stated that from 2008, Baltic states experiences a positive modify in their energy security score. They diversified their oil import suppliers due to shutdown of Druzhba gas pipeline in 2006 and increased the share of renewable sources in total energy production with the guide of the EU policies.
Estonia usually was the best performing country in terms of energy security, but new assessment shows that even though Estonia has the highest share of renewables in the energy production, its energy economy has been still characterized by high rates of carbon intensity. Lithuania, in contrast, achieved the best results on carbon intensity of economy but its energy dependence level is still very high. Latvia performed the best according to any indicators. Especially, the high share of renewables were submitted to the energy production of Latvia, that can be explained by the state's geographical location and favorable natural conditions.
Possible threats to energy security include, firstly, a major risk of energy afford disruption. Even whether there are several electricity interconnectors that connect the area with electricity-rich states Estonia-Finland interconnector, Lithuania-Poland interconnector, Lithuania-Sweden interconnector, the pipeline supply of natural gas and tanker manage of oil are unreliable without improved of energy infrastructure. Secondly, the dependence on single supplier – Russia – is not healthy both for economics and plitics. As it was in 2009 during the Russian-Ukrainian gas dispute, when states of Eastern Europe were deprived from access to the natural gas deliveries, the reoccurrence of the situation may again lead to economic, political and social crisis. Therefore, the diversification of suppliers is needed. Finally, the low technological enhancement results in gradual adaptation of new technologies, such as construction and usage of renewable sources of energy. This also poses a threat to energy security of the Baltic states, because slows down the renewable energy consumption and lead to low rates of energy efficiency.