Ecology in Estonia

For several years, Estonia has been moving towards a concrete ecological transition by developing a sustainable environmental policy. As a result, many investments have been made in an environmental strategy aimed at making Estonia a responsible country.

First of all, this Baltic country is the first European territory which has developed a system of free public transport (for its citizens) on a national scale. This decision supports the government's desire to promote more environmentally friendly travel for its residents. The initiative is bearing fruit, and according to several studies, consumers claim that they prefer public transport more regularly since it is free.

Estonia has also been committed to better recycling and recovery of waste since the 1990s. As a result, it has gradually opted for the creation and use of alternative energy sources such as biomass*. However, as the waste on Estonian soil is not sufficient to supply the dedicated plant, Estonia has started importing foreign waste. This highly regulated activity allows the country to develop a renewable energy that is in high demand, and to help territories that are crumbling under mountains of garbage. In 2017, 14.9% of the energy consumed in Estonia came from biomass.

As regards renewable energy production, 139 wind turbines have also been installed throughout Estonia since 2013, producing 16.9% of the total energy consumed in Estonia in 2017. These facilities are part of the Estonian government's long-term energy development plan. The main goal of this plan is that the share of renewable energies in the energy consumed on the territory should be at least 50% by 2030.

Picture by Hannu of wind turbines near of Paldiski in Estonia

At the cutting edge of technology, one of the country's main development levers has of course been digital. This revolution began almost thirty years ago when Estonia gained its independence. With it, the desire to build a sustainable society which fights for the protection of the environment. Innovation then enabled Estonia to move towards a "paperless" society where almost all (99%) of public processes are carried out online. According to the e-Estonia Showroom, the Estonian administration would save the equivalent in height of an Eiffel tower of reams of paper each month thanks to digital technology.

In addition to all these examples, there is the development of a green civic spirit at the root of a growing green economy. Many startups take ecology as their credo and eco-responsible citizen initiatives are flourishing. From creating a recyclable laundry to the organisation of local waste collection interventions on beaches, Estonia is part of a policy of change that says no to environmental destruction.

*Biomass: energy that comes from the combustion of a vegetable, animal, bacterial raw material...etc

Co-written by Sacha Le Roux