The systems of public complaints on environmental noise were reviewed in seven countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), South-East Europe (SEE), and Newly Independent States (NIS). Public complaints remain an important issue due to differences in public sensitivity to noise and due to several cases where a measurement of noise intensity does not give a satisfying solution to the problem. The unresolved problem remaining in the residential neighborhoods is the noise from pubs and restaurants that are open until late in the night. In our review, we compiled information on the institutions responsible for the implementation of environmental noise legislation and organizations that are responsible for dealing with public complaints. Information on activities for increasing public awareness on hazards rising from environmental noise and the role of civil initiative was explored. In seven countries, and among them, Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, and Poland, the responsibilities and duties are shared among different institutions at national and regional levels, depending on the noise source. The problem of gathering information on complaints and using it for improving the wellbeing and health of citizens remains often difficult and unsolved.

Sustainable mobility means keeping the ability of people to travel and supply goods in a way that balances environmental and socio-economic aspects and aims at the reducing of negative impacts on environment. The aim of this research is to study how the mobility governance is built and particularly governed in sustainability understanding aspects in urban municipalities in Latvia, using the case of Valmiera town. In the scope of this step-by-step complementary study different transportation modes have been studied with special emphasis put on the necessary application of socio-ecological system and stakeholder participation principles, and, particularly, governance instruments design and application -all six main groups of instruments and their complementary application for urban sustainable mobility. The research has been carried out employing both research-and-development framework and case study research methods, allowing to provide integrative contextual analysis of the particular sustainable mobility subject in the chosen urban area, including document analysis, semi-structured deep interviews with each stakeholder group representatives, household proenvironmental behaviour questionnaire and structured observations. Also, the development planning process was studied and in particular the case of Valmiera Transport development program development and its impact on environment assessment. The research allowed drawing conclusions on the urban sustainable mobility governance aspects in Valmiera and for Latvia municipalities in general. The future developments should include the joint action plan that would foresee the cooperation and implementation of integrative action between the different transport sectors, policy makers, and relevant authorities, as well as sectorial and inter-sectorial policies planning. These documents should be based not only on detailed and professional evaluation of the transportation aspects in the municipality, but to be based on social-ecological systems governance understanding and application, subsequently, including also on evaluation and modelling of transport related environmental issues such as air pollution and environmental noise etc. in order to manage basic challenge for sector-based planning system and special integration of transport planning and environmental planning.

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Applying governance process cycle steps model (5P model), the study focuses on the national environmental investment governance process by structuring and characterizing, particularly, investment planning process, including the integrative in-depth analysis of investment thematic content and framework (inextricably linked to the sectorial needs). Investment allocation is the governance instrument to be especially emphasized as being also necessary for the eventual implementation of all other governance instruments (such as infrastructure or communication ones), which all need financial support for their development, implementation or innovation. The study includes the investment instrument selection analysis at the policy planning stage for the most efficient investment and all sectorial policies implementation in order to reach the defined environmental governance goals. The study is practice-based research with elements of the participatory action research. Study is currently also topical since national investment planning process and final document is in the development process, detecting the main fields of investment in Latvia for the next 8 years. The structure and specifics of the planning stages of environmental investment governance process were identified along with related deficiencies and improvement needs, and, there were developed structured decision-making frame recommendation, based on the three main factors and subsequent set of complementary aspects identified as necessary required assistance to decide on the investment allocations.