KAZALCI OKOLJA

Environmental indicators in Slovenia


Environmental indicators are based on graphs, maps and assessments and as such present environmental trends in Slovenia. The indicators represent one of the four pillars of our environmental reporting, and are prepared in accordance with the Environmental Protection Act. The Environmental Indicators in Slovenia website enables users to browse among 180 indicators. They are based on numerical data and they indicate the state, characteristics and trends of environmental development in Slovenia. They are prepared using a systematic approach based on data and monitoring, as shown in the information pyramid.

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Neutral

The indicator monitors the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development by comparing the HDI - the human development index and the ecological footprint. Between 1990 and 2019, the value of the Human Development Index (HDI) increased from 0.774 to 0.917 (by 18.5%). Slovenia is ranked among the countries with a very high human development index, in 22nd place out of 189 countries included in the calculations. In general, the higher the HDI of a country is, the higher the ecological footprint is.

Bad

GHG emissions in industry decreased slightly in 2021 compared to the previous year. Since 2009, there has been no noticeable trend of decreasing GHG emissions in this sector.

GHG emissions in the ETS subsector of industry sector decreased for the third year in a row and were 4.2% lower than the previous year. GHG emissions in the non-ETS subsector of the industry sector increased by 5.5% in 2021 compared to the previous year. In 2021, the share of emissions from the ETS subsector was 57.4% of all emissions in industry sector, and the share of non-ETS emissions was 42.6%.

Neutral

Regarding the forest area, deforestation accounts for an insignificant share. The average of the last ten years is approximately 405 ha (350–550 ha per year) and thus does not represent a significant factor in forest cover changes. Until 2008, most deforestation is a result of infrastructure facilities construction. In 2008, the unprecedented increase in deforestation for agricultural purposes occurred. The increase was due to the amendment to the Forest Act, which subject to the conditions allows the issuance of an authorisation for deforestation for agricultural purposes up to 0.5 ha.

Good

In Slovenia, forests have been growing in terms of growing stock and increment for decades. They have increased by more than 140% over the last 70 years. In addition to natural conditions, harvesting depends on socioeconomic factors, and recently on the occurrence of natural disasters (windbreaks, icebreakers) and bark beetles outbreaks. By 2014, the felling accounted for about 50% of the increment. After the ice storm in 2014, it increased substantially and accounted for 60 to 75% of the total increment of conifers and deciduous trees.

Good

Forests in Slovenia are relatively well preserved, especially in terms of the diversity of the natural tree species composition and the vertical and horizontal stand structure. The share of preserved forests exceeds 50%. Heavily modified, mostly forests where natural tree species are altered with spruce, and altered forests make up just over a tenth of all forests.

Neutral

In 2020, the number of employees in the environmental goods and services sector increased by 3%. The share of employees in this sector in relation to all employees in Slovenia has not changed much in recent years. Slovenia's goal is to increase the number of green jobs, the target value has, however, not been set. In order to compare the situation in Slovenia with that in the EU, changes compared to the previous year are monitored.