KESKKONNAJUHTIMINE AVALIKUS SEKTORIS

This 2013 guide, published by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI Tallinn) for the Estonian Ministry of the Environment, provides a comprehensive framework for implementing environmental management systems (EMS) within public sector organizations, such as state agencies and local governments. It focuses primarily on the European Union's Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) and the 'Green Office' concept, detailing the steps for planning, implementation, monitoring, and continuous improvement of environmental performance.

• Environmental management in the public sector is framed as a natural part of public administration, aimed at ensuring a sustainable living environment and improving efficiency to meet taxpayer expectations. Public sector organizations are noted to have a significant influence on the adoption of environmental tools in the private sector and on increasing public awareness.
• An Environmental Management System (EMS) is defined as a part of an organization's management system that establishes a systematic, planned, and documented approach to environmental activities. All EMS are based on the Deming circle model, which consists of four stages: Planning (Kavandamine), Implementation (Elluviimine), Checking (Kontrollimine), and Correcting/Improving (Korrigeerimine ja täiustamine).
• The guide distinguishes between standardized (formal) EMS, such as ISO 14001 and EMAS, and non-formal systems. While ISO 14001 is the most common globally and primarily used in the private sector, EMAS is highlighted as particularly suitable for the public sector due to its requirements for greater openness, transparency, and the mandatory publication of an environmental statement.
• The implementation of EMAS is described as a five-step process: 1) Initial environmental review, 2) Implementation of the EMS elements, 3) Preparation of a public environmental statement, 4) Verification and validation by an accredited verifier, and 5) Registration by the competent authority (the Environmental Board in Estonia).
• Public sector organizations must identify both direct environmental aspects (those they can control, such as energy use and waste) and indirect aspects (those they can influence, such as planning decisions and supplier activities). The guide emphasizes that the 'political level' (policy and strategy) and 'territorial level' (land use and municipal services) are key areas for indirect impacts in the public sector.
• The guide outlines specific requirements for an environmental policy, stating it must be a documented commitment from top management that includes a pledge for continuous improvement and pollution prevention, and must be available to the public.
• To ensure the effectiveness of an EMS, organizations must establish monitoring and measurement procedures using objective indicators. Examples for the public sector include water consumption (m3/year), energy consumption (kWh/year), and the percentage of recycled waste.
• The 'Green Office' (Roheline kontor) is presented as a simplified EMS suitable for all public sector organizations, focusing on a healthy and environmentally friendly office environment. It is based on 11 principles divided into management principles (e.g., environmental policy, coordinator) and operational principles (e.g., green procurement, energy efficiency, waste reduction).
• The guide identifies several barriers to EMS implementation in the public sector, including limited flexibility in prioritizing activities, bureaucracy, and a lack of immediate, tangible benefits compared to the private sector, which can lead to a lack of priority from top management.

APA

H., M. (2013). KESKKONNAJUHTIMINE AVALIKUS SEKTORIS. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/keskonnajuhtimine-avalikus-sektoris1.pdf

Chicago

H., Moora,. KESKKONNAJUHTIMINE AVALIKUS SEKTORIS. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2013. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/keskonnajuhtimine-avalikus-sektoris1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=H. |first1=Moora, |title=KESKKONNAJUHTIMINE AVALIKUS SEKTORIS |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2013 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/keskonnajuhtimine-avalikus-sektoris1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{h2013keskkonnajuhtimine, author = {H., Moora,}, title = {{KESKKONNAJUHTIMINE AVALIKUS SEKTORIS}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2013}, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/keskonnajuhtimine-avalikus-sektoris1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }