ESTONIAN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW 2009

Summary
Socioeconomic background
In terms of population and area, Estonia is one of the
smallest countries in Europe. Estonia’s population density
is also one of Europe’s lowest – 31.2 per km 2 – with most
people living in urban settlements (between 67–70%
based on various sources). As a result, environmental
pressure is also greater in urban settlements.
Estonia joined the European Union on 1 May 2004. From
that point on, Estonia has had to apply environmental
conservation measures to a greater extent in order to
conform to the fairly high requirements of EU directives.
Environmental protection measures received about 4.8
billion kroons in funding from various sources in the
period from 2005–2008. For a complete picture, we should
add to this amount co-financing for projects funded from
the environmental programme, and expenses incurred by
local government and businesses on other environmental
projects that did not receive state (co-)financing. Water
economy and waste handling projects are the project
categories that received the most funding.
Environmental investments have proved effective in
reducing the environmental burden. At the same time,
however, very rapid economic growth (in 2006, Estonia
was second in Europe in terms of economic growth,
behind only Latvia) and the increase in consumer spending
has had a negative impact on the environment, which
is reflected especially clearly in 2007 data.
Use of natural resources
Use of natural resources continues to be intensive.
Mining of natural resources used in the construction
industry (sand, gravel, limestone etc) has increased by
several times since the early 1990s; it intensified especially
from the beginning of the 2000s in connection with the
construction boom.
Oil shale was mined to a greater extent than in the past
in connection with the increase in electricity and shale
oil output. In the years from 1999–2003, about 10 million
tons of shale oil was mined annually; in 2007 and 2008,
the figure had risen to around 14 million tons a year. Mining
of oil shale and the oil shale industry has an impact
on the Estonian environment in its entirety, naturally to
the greatest degree in north-eastern Estonia.
The status of fish stocks in the Baltic Sea and inland
waters varies from one species to the next. Stocks of Baltic
herring and flounder – fish with among the highest yields
in the Baltic Sea – are in fairly good condition, but sprat
stocks have declined and cod and salmon stocks remain
at a low. Perch, pike-perch and pike are the highestyielding
fish in inland waters. The pike-perch yield is
decreasing due to poor food conditions, while pike and
perch stocks are in satisfactory condition.
Forest land accounts for about 49% of Estonia’s area
(not including Lake Peipsi, 50.6%). Forest area and growing
stock has increased primarily due to afforestation of
land not in agricultural use. In addition, forest area and
growing stock indicators have increased due to changes
in the methods used to inventory forests. The annual
yield in 2008 was 7.4 million m 3 , while the increment
was approximately 12 million m 3 . Protected forest made
up 31% of all forest in 2007, and the respective percentage
of forest under strict protection was 8.2% (the target
for 2010 is 10%).
Currently the main focus of hunting lies on bi-ungulates
(cloven hoofed mammals), which are hunted both
for meat and for sport. Hunting for small predators (raccoon
dog, fox, pine marten, mink) has acquired more of
a conservationist character due to the depressed state of
the market for furs; abundance of these species is regulated
in connection with their possible negative impact
on other species. As the abundance of game animals
such as wolf, bear, lynx, moose, wild boar, roe deer and
beaver has increased in recent years, there has been an
opportunity to increase hunting quotas.
Environmental quality
Climate. Global warming is under heightened attention
throughout the world. The average Estonian temperature
is also moving upward. In the period from 1951–2000 the
temperature in Estonia rose 1.0–1.7 °C.
A number of agreements have been signed on the
international level to reduce emissions of the greenhouse
gases that cause global warming. Estonia has successfully
fulfilled its objectives. Under the Kyoto Protocol,
in the years 2008–2012 Estonia will have to reduce the
quantities of greenhouse gases by 8% from 1990 levels.
By 2007, Estonian greenhouse gas emissions had already
dropped by over 50% from 1990.
Ambient air. Estonia’s main sources of air pollution are
the oil-shale-based energy sector and transport. When
Estonia’s air quality indicators per capita are compared
with other European countries, the country often appears
ranked among the greatest polluters. This is not necessarily
the result of poor air quality but is due to Estonia’s
small population or low population density.
Monitoring data for recent years shows that the most
problematic aspect with regard to quality of the ambient
air is particles. Values in excess of the allowable limits for
particles have been recorded in the Tallinn city centre in
each of the last four years.
Nitrogen and sulphur compounds (such as NO 2
and
SO 2
) are acid-forming and a cause of acid rain, which
threatens coniferous trees and water life. SO 2
levels in
ambient air have decreased each year, while no clear trend
can be seen in the case of NO 2
. Despite the fairly low level
of NO 2
, it is a nutrient source that causes eutrophication
of water bodies, with the consequence being a decrease
in the number of aquatic biotic communities.
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