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

After 2005, the gross nitrogen budget ranged between 32 and 69 kg per hectare of agricultural land with an indistinct downward trend. On average over the last five-year period, the target value (less than 50.4 kg per ha) was achieved. In 2022, the nitrogen balance surplus rose sharply compared to the previous year (from 46.2 to 69.1 kg per ha). The target value (less than 49.4 kg per ha) was therefore not achieved. The increase in the surplus is attributed to the drought, which caused a decrease in the nitrogen uptake by agricultural plants.

Neutral

Soil erosion is a natural geomorphic process of soil particle detachment and transport. Due to human activities, it can be significantly accelerated, reaching levels much higher than in natural conditions. Erosion (water, wind, and tillage erosion) remains the most significant threat to soils in many regions of the world. Measuring erosion is typically done under controlled conditions on standardized test plots, which is a time-consuming, costly, and organizationally demanding process. Therefore, erosion risks and intensities are often assessed using computational models.

Bad

Fuel prices could play an important role in the internalization of external transport costs, but this potential is not exploited in Slovenia. Determining the price of fuels has primarily an economic function and is not a tool of environmental policy. Fuel taxation is a function of the country's economic policy and responds to crude oil prices on the international market, which is a reflection of global supply and demand and geopolitical (in)stability.

Neutral

The proportion of agricultural land with high natural value increased from 10.1% in 2002 to 15.3% in 2022. This includes areas of extensive orchard, wet meadows, lands undergoing afforestation, mixed land use and agricultural land covered by forest trees.

Compared to other EU countries, Slovenia demonstrates substantial landscape diversity and a high natural value of its agricultural land.

Neutral

In Slovenia, the average Corg stocks in the treated agricultural lands (KZ) to a depth of 30 cm was 92.9 t/ha, with the highest in the soils of marsh meadows – 197.0 t/ha. In soils with extensive use, including extensive orchards (ES), permanent grasslands (TR), land undergoing afforestation (ZR), and KZ overgrown with trees and shrubs (DG), Corg stocks ranged from 92.2 to 109.4 t/ha. Corg stocks in vineyard soils (VI), intensive orchards (IS), and arable lands (NJ) ranged from 60.0 to 92.7 t/ha.

Neutral

Slovenia belongs to the EU Member States with a lower level of specialization in agriculture. This is reflected in the number of specialized farms and the surface area of agricultural land treated by these holdings. Specialized farms in Slovenia generate a smaller share of standard output than the average in the European Union, which indicates that the processes of concentration and specialization of agricultural production in Slovenia is slower than in European Union.