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

In Slovenia, 98.7% of surface water bodies are in good chemical condition. The two water bodies are in poor chemical condition due to the excess of metals. In general, Slovenian surface waters are not loaded with priority substances in the water, but they are loaded with too high concentrations of mercury and brominated diphenylethers in fish. These are ubiquitous pollutants that are excessively present in biota both in Slovenia and in Europe.

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%.

Good

Energy efficiency in industry has improved significantly over the period 2005–2022, with a 39% increase. The sectors that have contributed the most to this were production of paper, machinery and equipment, chemical industry and production of non-ferrous metals, while the production of steel and non-metallic mineral products have contributed the least.

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.