Last Sunday of October, the 197 parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change descended on Glasgow, Scotland, for a 2-weeks negotiation marathon on the future of global climate policy. These crucial “it’s now or never”-moments happen with alarming regularity – once a year, in fact, at every meeting of the so-called Conference of the Parties, or COP. We may even have been hearing the “it’s now or never” so often as to become numb: same procedure as every year, to quote a New Year’s Eve sketch popular in many European countries.

During the autumn session, the Seimas approved the drafts amending the Law on Electronic Communications (LEC) and other relevant legislative acts that will open new possibilities – the eSIM technology will accelerate the development of the Internet of Things and innovative communications services, while reorganisation of the Communications Regulatory Authority (RRT) will make it possible to attract experts of highest qualification and facilitate transparent and effective management of the market regulator.

The Vilnius City Council has decided that Vilnius residents will no longer have to endure the smog caused by polluting fuel used for heating year after year. From June 2023, the burning of coal or peat briquettes in Vilnius will be banned.

In response to the complicated situation on the Poland-Belarus border, the Government has endorsed a proposal by the Ministry of the Interior regarding the state of emergency with effect from 10 November.

Withdrawing from, or abandoning altogether, major arms control treaties would seriously damage the stability provided by international arms control regimes, warn MEPs.

Exactly a year ago, in the autumn of 2020, during the renovation of the northern wall of the Church of St. Johns of Vilnius University (VU), the remains of over 140 people were discovered in the Konstantinas Sirvydas Courtyard. Dr. Justina Kozakaitė, a researcher at the VU Faculty of Medicine, and Rūta Brindzaitė, a doctoral student, conducted a comprehensive anthropological examination and determined the gender and age of 96 individuals, 15 of whom were still children.

Vilnius is starting a desovietisation process of the streets – grey, uncomfortable and unsafe streets will become Western-like – with tree alleys, small architecture, more versatile covers, and maintained facades by the streets. Today the Standard of Vilnius Streets that has been developed for the last year was presented. It contains 12 principles that are already applied for reconstruction or designing of city streets so that the city was more comfortable and attractive to its residents.

A company called ‘Baltjet‘ won the public contract through the international call for tenders procedure for the management of aviation fuel supply infrastructure (fuel farms) at Vilnius and Palanga airports, which was launched by Lithuanian Airports. In addition to the usual processes of aviation fuel supply, the new operator has committed itself to contribute to the implementation of environmental solutions - technical possibilities for the storage and supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to aircraft.

Following the request of Latvia, as well as seeking to contribute to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and to eliminate its effects, the Government has adopted a resolution on donation of 201,240 doses of Comirnaty vaccine manufactured by Pfizer, Inc. in humanitarian aid to Latvia.

Artists and cultural workers have been heavily affected by the Covid-19 crisis. Find out how the European Parliament wants to protect them.