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The report finds that while Estonia's total greenhouse gas emissions fell from 18,687.4 kt CO2e in 2018 to 11,555.8 kt CO2e in 2020, significant gaps remain across all sectors to reach 2050 neutrality. The energy sector shows a positive trend in renewables, but wind capacity investment is lagging. The buildings sector lacks incentives for non-residential renovations, which are identified as highly cost-efficient. The LULUCF sector transitioned from a carbon sink to an emitting sector in 2020. Transport emissions are decreasing, but a modal shift toward public transport and cycling has not been achieved. Agriculture emissions continue to rise slowly, and the sector faces limited reduction potential without impacting food production. The report highlights the contradiction of government support for a new shale oil refinery, which is viewed as a step away from climate neutrality.

The document details a three-phase transition to a hydrogen economy in Estonia: immediate actions (2021-2025), scaling (2025-2030), and wide-scale adoption (2030-2050). Key goals include deploying over 300 MW of local electrolysis capacity by 2030 and achieving a hydrogen price of approximately 1.9 EUR/kg by 2030. The strategy focuses on decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors such as heavy-duty transport, shipping, aviation, and chemical industries (specifically ammonia and methanol production). It identifies significant barriers, including the lack of a dedicated hydrogen strategy, insufficient renewable energy capacity, and missing regulatory frameworks for storage and distribution.

The report outlines a three-stage transition for Estonia to establish a green hydrogen economy by 2050. The first phase (2021-2025) focuses on pilot projects in transport and establishing a regulatory framework. The second phase (2025-2030) aims for scaling production to 300 MW+ and expanding FCEV use in public transport and heavy-duty vehicles. The final phase (2030-2050) envisions large-scale deployment with 5 GW+ of electrolyser capacity, full decarbonisation of the domestic truck fleet, and the establishment of a green chemical industry (ammonia and methanol), potentially reducing national greenhouse gas emissions by 12% by 2050.

The report examines the environmental platforms of seven political parties and one electoral alliance for the 2021 Estonian local elections. It finds a significant increase in the volume and specificity of environmental promises compared to 2017, with a shift in focus toward climate, energy, and mobility. In Tallinn, mobility dominated the discourse, while Tartu platforms emphasized nature and parks. The analysis highlights that Eestimaa Rohelised (Greens) provided the most comprehensive environmental programs across all levels, while EKRE's platforms were the most modest and occasionally opposed the 'green transition'. The document also assesses the alignment of these promises with the UN SDGs and the criteria for Tallinn's bid as a European Green Capital.

The strategic environmental assessment (SEA) concludes that the Transport and Mobility Development Plan 2021-2035 generally supports environmental goals, though its high level of generality creates uncertainty regarding the actual realization of these benefits. The plan aims to reduce the transport sector's environmental footprint by shifting freight from roads to rail and sea, increasing the share of public and active transport to 55% by 2035, and reducing transport CO2e emissions to 1,750 kt by 2035. Key environmental concerns include the potential for increased car use due to road infrastructure improvements and the impact of new infrastructure on biodiversity and the Natura 2000 network. The report recommends a stricter application of the '4-step principle' for infrastructure investment and the definition of clear priorities to ensure environmental goals are not superseded by demands for road convenience.

The study analyzes mobility in Lääne-Viru County, finding a high reliance on private cars due to sparse settlement patterns. It highlights the importance of rail connections to Tallinn and the need for demand-responsive transport to support an aging population. Key recommendations include improving pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, integrating different transport modes, and implementing traffic calming measures in residential areas.

The analysis concludes that climate neutrality in Estonia by 2050 is potentially profitable in the long term, requiring an estimated investment of 17.3 billion euros between 2021 and 2050. The majority of these costs (approximately 13.1 billion euros) would be borne by the private sector. The report emphasizes that delaying strategic decisions will increase costs and complexity. Key priorities for 2021-2030 include accelerating energy efficiency in buildings, transport, and industry, transitioning electricity and heat production to renewables, and establishing national carbon sequestration goals for the LULUCF sector. While the initial investment phase (2021-2030) will see costs exceed revenues, the long-term weighted average marginal cost is negative, meaning revenues will eventually exceed costs. The report warns that new oil shale production plants would significantly increase the risk of failing to reach climate neutrality due to added emissions and high regulatory risks.

Reaching climate neutrality in Estonia by 2050 is technically possible and potentially profitable in the long term, requiring an estimated total investment of 17.3 billion EUR between 2021 and 2050. The strategy emphasizes accelerating energy efficiency in buildings, transport, and industry, alongside a transition to renewable energy and carbon sequestration in the LULUCF sector. While the first decade (2021-2030) will be investment-heavy, resulting in higher costs than revenues, subsequent decades are expected to see revenues outweigh costs. The transition will likely cause a modest negative impact on GDP (approximately 10%) and long-term employment in fossil-fuel sectors, particularly oil shale in Ida-Virumaa, but will create short-term construction and technology jobs.

The report analyzes environmental pledges from seven parties and two alliances for the 2017 Estonian local elections. It finds a strong focus on urban mobility—specifically cycling and public transport—in Tallinn and Tartu, but a general lack of comprehensive strategies for climate change mitigation and adaptation. While some parties like the Social Democrats (SDE) and the Greens (Rohelised) provided more detailed environmental sections, the report notes a recurring conflict between promises to increase parking/road infrastructure and the goal of preserving urban green spaces. Nationally, platforms focused more on regional development and organic farming than on specific climate targets.

The document serves as a manual for experts and officials to implement Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in Estonia. It details the legal requirements based on EU directives and Estonian laws (KeHJS and PlanS), outlining the process from screening and scoping to the final report and follow-up. It emphasizes the importance of integrating environmental considerations early in the planning of sectoral development plans and spatial plans, the use of various quantitative and qualitative assessment methods, and the necessity of public and institutional participation to achieve sustainable development goals.

The document details a workshop organized by the Stockholm Environment Institute Tallinn Centre as part of the HERON project. It outlines proposed energy efficiency (EE) scenarios for Estonia's buildings and transport sectors, contrasting them with business-as-usual (BAU) paths. Expert panel discussions concluded that the proposed renovation rates for buildings are overly ambitious due to funding and skill shortages, while transport goals require better integration of modes and increased local government authority over cycling and public transport infrastructure.

The report evaluates a proposed wood biorefinery in Estonia with a projected capacity of 750,000 tonnes per year. Using the CEPI methodology, the study finds that the plant would have a negative fossil carbon footprint of -0.39 tonnes of CO2-e per tonne of finished product, primarily because the renewable electricity it exports to the grid replaces oil shale-based power. The plant is also estimated to sequester 1.3 tonnes of biogenic CO2-e per tonne of product. Compared to a 'zero scenario' where wood is exported to Nordic countries, the project is expected to reduce Estonia's overall greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 1.6% and increase the share of renewable electricity in national consumption to 26%.

The strategy assesses the vulnerability of Estonia's energy and infrastructure systems to climate change, identifying the electricity distribution network and small ports as particularly susceptible. It outlines a comprehensive set of adaptation measures across technical support systems, buildings, transport, and energy resources, with an estimated total implementation cost of approximately 1.3 billion EUR for the 2017–2030 period. The plan emphasizes increasing energy independence through domestic renewable sources and improving the resilience of buildings and transport networks to temperature extremes and flooding.

The report analyzes three scenarios for Estonia's transport sector: 'Non-intervening' (BAU), 'Low-intervention' (VS), and 'Knowledge-based' (EE). The BAU scenario predicts a nearly 60% increase in energy consumption by 2030 compared to 2012 levels. The EE scenario, which employs systemic policies including road user charges and land-use planning, aims to stop energy consumption growth, potentially achieving a 2% reduction by 2030. The analysis highlights that private and corporate spending on vehicle imports, maintenance, and fuel (approximately 1.5-1.7 billion EUR annually) far exceeds public infrastructure and passenger transport spending (approximately 400 million EUR annually). Environmentally, the EE scenario is the only one to project a decrease in CO2 equivalent emissions, forecasting a 36% reduction by 2030 compared to 2012.

The report analyzes the evolution of environmental education in Estonia, from early 20th-century nature studies to modern sustainable development education. Based on a 2012 survey of 132 educators and specialists, it identifies a critical lack of a national development plan and systemic coordination, noting that while the Environmental Board and State Forest Management Centre (RMK) provide popular programs, access remains unequal across regions. The document argues for a state-led, coordinated approach involving both the Ministry of Education and Research and the Ministry of Environment to ensure sustainable, curriculum-aligned environmental education for all age groups.

The document finds that Estonian transport trends are unsustainable, characterized by rapid increases in private car use and road freight, leading to transport fuel use per unit of GDP that is twice the EU average. It argues that current policies are insufficient to meet EU greenhouse gas (GHG) emission limits for 2020 and proposes a combined approach of technical vehicle efficiency improvements and modal shifts to achieve sustainability.

The document outlines strategies for urban biodiversity, focusing on nature-friendly gardening, landscaping, and construction. It provides detailed guidance on creating habitats for insects, birds, amphibians, and mammals, while addressing conflicts with 'problem' species and the impact of urban infrastructure on wildlife.

The report finds that Estonia's transport system is not developing sustainably, with car use and road freight growing in tandem with the economy, leading to high energy intensity and greenhouse gas emissions. While traffic fatalities have decreased significantly, urban air quality has suffered due to increased particulate matter from cars. The report compares Estonia's performance with EU averages and neighbors (Finland and Latvia), noting that Estonia has some of the least fuel-efficient new cars in Europe. Three scenarios for 2020 are analyzed: a 'BAAS' (baseline) scenario where trends continue, a 'TEHNO' scenario focusing on rapid vehicle efficiency gains, and an 'EFEKT' scenario focusing on mobility management and sustainable transport modes. The authors recommend a combination of both TEHNO and EFEKT measures, including CO2-based vehicle taxation, improved public transport and active mobility infrastructure, and integrated urban planning to decouple economic growth from transport demand.

This report, published by the Stockholm Environment Institute in November 2009, presents a calculation and simulation model for the social costs of land transport in Estonia. It estimates the total external costs for 2007, breaks them down by cost type and vehicle category, and analyzes the extent to which these costs are internalized through existing taxes and fees.

The study provides a detailed breakdown of waste composition in Estonia, finding that biodegradable waste (48%) and plastics (18.1%) are the largest components of mixed municipal waste. It notes a decrease in the share of glass, paper, and biodegradable waste compared to a 2007/2008 study, while highlighting that current landfilling of mixed waste would exceed legal limits for biodegradable content. Analysis of separately collected streams shows that packaging waste consists primarily of plastics (45%), and electronic waste is dominated by large household appliances.