Rail Baltica is not just an international high-speed railway from Tallinn to Warsaw – it’s a vision for the future, built kilometre by kilometre with concrete, compromises, and care for the environment.
At Iveta Jēgere’s desk, the ambitions of Europe’s largest infrastructure project meet real-world questions – like how to build in a way that still lets the moose pass safely and avoids using harmful chemicals on weeds. Jēgere is the Head of Sustainability, Health and Safety at RB Rail AS, the joint venture leading Rail Baltica. She believes that even small countries can make a big impact if they have the courage to ask for more.
In a recent Õhtuleht article, Jēgere shares her views on what it takes to build sustainably at such a scale and why responsibility goes beyond just technical decisions.
In this interview, she also discusses why every construction decision matters, what mistakes should not be repeated, and the key messages from the Sustainability Action Week in Paris this April – an event focused on finding chemical-free solutions for the future of Europe’s railways.
If I’m a 30-year-old living in Pärnu or Kaunas or Salaspils or anywhere along the track, what does Rail Baltica’s sustainability actually change in my life – besides a new train line?
Whatever your age, the magnitude of this project – it is not just rails. It is not just steel and concrete. The longer I work on the project, the more I understand that we are seeing the future unfold in front of our eyes. We are creating not only a mobility corridor, but also many economic possibilities. We are finally being connected back to Europe. It is quite unfair to think that during the isolation times of the Soviet era, all the existing routes and connections with Europe were dismantled and reoriented in a totally different direction. Now, if we want to travel with our families to a destination in Europe, we really only have the least sustainable transport options – air travel or driving. So, Rail Baltica is important for climate goals and economic opportunities. I truly believe this could be a great breakthrough for the Baltic States, and it is fantastic that we can witness it.
Do you feel that the word “sustainability” still means anything, or has it become background noise? Could a new term help people reconnect with the idea?
I agree with you – words accumulate layers and biases the more they are used, and their connotations can shift over time. Still, I would not swap out a word just to draw attention. That might work as a trick, but I think it is more meaningful to return to the core and keep things simple. For me, sustainability is about balance. It is not about fancy terminology – it is about being moderate in your choices, being proportionate in your decisions, knowing when something is enough. It is about how you spend your money, how you balance work and life, and your attitude toward nature – how much you take and what you leave. It is about simple, even sacred truths of life and coexistence with the planet. Of course, it gets complicated – sometimes even I roll my eyes when I hear about new sustainability policies. But people need to be reminded of those simplest truths behind everything.
The Baltics are often seen as too small to make a global difference. But in terms of sustainability, is there power in being small?
Yes, it is tricky. People say the Baltics are too small, and then, on a bigger scale, Europe is too small compared to China and US. That leads some to believe only the big players matter. But life does not work like that. It works both ways – sometimes big players make decisions that affect all of us, and sometimes it just takes one person to change something in a workplace or come up with an idea that turns into a movement. That is why we should never underestimate the power of individual decisions. The big does not exist without the small, and vice versa.
From your long experience working on Rail Baltica, both in government and now within the project itself, what’s one commonly overlooked issue when it comes to integrating sustainability and wildlife protection into infrastructure planning?
My first encounter with the project was in 2015–2016, when I was working in the environmental government sector, involved in the environmental impact assessment of the route setting in Latvia. Since 2021, I have been with RB Rail in the environmental unit and now sustainability department – so, nearly ten years in total. One thing that always surprises people is the barrier effect that fencing causes for animals. When we talk about ecoducts and animal passages, people often do not understand why we build them and why wildlife monitoring is necessary. It is not just about being nice to animals. If we do not provide safe crossings, the consequences can be huge – loss of genetic diversity, and even extinction. I was at a conference in the Czech Republic last year and was astonished to learn that moose is basically extinct there – only 15 to 20 individuals remain in the southern part of the country – because linear infrastructure blocked their natural migration routes in recent decades. So what we decide today, how we treat environmental impact mitigation, truly has long-term effects.
Rail Baltica is often criticized for its environmental impact, even though its long-term footprint is relatively small—especially when compared to the health and ecological damage caused by car dependency or coal-based electricity. We all see that the global population is growing, living standards are improving, and people are traveling and relocating more than ever. At the same time, people frequently oppose renewable energy projects like wind farms or solar parks. Why do you think there is so much resistance to change, even when it’s clearly more sustainable? Is it a question of psychology, politics, or something deeper?
Yes, it is a complex question. Sometimes people support ideas in principle but do not want change near them. What you mentioned is known in our field also with a term NIMBY – “Not In My Back Yard.” It is a natural response; we all want comfort and a familiar environment. I can admit, I have experienced it myself, and it takes effort to stay objective, to not misuse public consultation process just to avoid change. But to your question why there is a resistance to change, even when it is clearly more sustainable, I would say it is very human. We do not always make sustainable choices when the effects are not visible here and now – same as going to the gym or eating healthily. Changing our perspective takes time.
In that context, how do we make space for necessary infrastructure without triggering resistance at every turn – from railways to wind farms?
Resistance is not a bad thing in itself. Public shall be involved and their concerns heard to achieve better decision making, especially if that is related to impacts on the environment. It is about how we navigate through the process where key is communication and collaboration, also education in the long term and dialogue between politicians, companies, and communities. To gain support it is important to communicate clearly about the benefits, and that is always easier for projects that are implemented fast, where benefits are visible sooner, not in years. Regardless of the opposition – mostly political – we see that overall support for and understanding of the project is increasing across the Baltics year by year. And that means people are thinking long-term, asking: What are we building, and what will remain after our lifetime – for our children?
How do you help shape sustainability decisions in your daily work on Rail Baltica? Is there a recent development you are particularly proud to have contributed to?
It is difficult to single out one specific achievement because sustainability is integrated into everything, and I believe that meaningful progress in this area comes through collaboration, not by pushing ideas through. One of the things I am proud of is that sustainability topics are part of decision-making at the management board level in RB Rail. We have a dedicated board member responsible for ESG matters, and sustainability is a standing item in monthly reports and meetings. When environmental and sustainability topics are managed in isolation, things can get overlooked. This integration has made a real difference.
Have you read The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson? It is often described as one of the most influential climate fiction novels of recent years – a kind of thought experiment on what a truly serious global response to the climate crisis might look like.
No, I have not.
In the book, a radical environmental group begins carrying out targeted attacks – bringing down passenger planes, sinking high-emission cargo ships, and using drone swarms to disable private jets – as a way to force down global CO₂ levels and make fossil fuel use uninsurable. Of course, I am not suggesting anything illegal or extreme, but it does raise an important question: if we were truly acting in line with the scale of the crisis, what bold – yet legal and ethical – steps should we already be taking? Are there climate measures that we know would work, but we are still too hesitant to implement?
If we talk about the planet overall, that is a different scale. But within Rail Baltica, we are already doing a lot. The railway will be electrified and run on green electricity – hopefully 100% by the time it operates. But in construction, there is no single wonder solution – as most low-hanging fruits have already been picked. A more radical idea would be to use only materials from manufacturers that have the most energy-efficient and near-zero emission technologies. That approach would help transform the market too. But of course, we would have to consider material availability in the region and transport emissions. If we had the budget and time to wait for the local transformation, this could be a game-changer for regional industries.
Rail is sustainable, but construction itself often is not. Has Rail Baltica helped raise awareness – among experts or the public – about what truly sustainable construction should look like?
It is probable. Rail Baltica is massive – many municipalities and institutions are involved. I think all of us working in this field have learned a lot. Geologists, hydrologists, environmentalists – everyone has encountered also unique cases. In Latvia, we have never built anything so huge that is fenced and includes so much monitoring of wildlife. So, yes, it has brought new knowledge, and I believe environmental authorities now shape their requirements differently because of what we’ve learned. That is our legacy.
How do you feel when you visit construction sites or see footage of progress? Is it too early to be proud?
Yes, we do not have the railway yet, but we can see it forming. I love drone videos – they show the progress beautifully. First, there were just roads and drainage, but now the embankment is forming, and it is really happening after all these years. It is a mix of feelings: amazement, joy, and a deep sense of responsibility. I remember seeing a deforested area in Latvia, a wide stripe stretching to the horizon. It was shocking and beautiful at once. As an environmentalist, you are torn – you see the impact but also the progress. It is a huge responsibility to make sure every environmental mitigation measure is implemented properly. But it is happening, and that brings joy.
When you witness that kind of progress – especially with all the responsibility it carries – does it change how you engage with international sustainability conversations? You were recently at the Sustainability Action Week in Paris – what insights or ideas stayed with you from that experience?
It was organized by the International Union of Railways, bringing together many players to discuss topics like green procurement, circularity, noise, and even weed management. It reminded me how layered sustainability is – not just environment, but social and governance too. One topic that stood out was alternative ways to manage vegetation on railways without chemicals. There are various innovative solutions being tested, hot water, mechanical weeding, electro-weeding, seeking cost-effective, eco-friendly solutions. I hope that by the time Rail Baltica operates, we will be able to adopt such innovations. It is another way railways can push sustainable thinking forward.