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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Bad

The share of present invasive species (eg. Robinia pseudacacia, Ailanthus altissima, Buddleja davidii, Erigeron annuus) in the last decade shows an increasing trend. An increase in the share of invasive species is evident along the great lowland rivers Sava, Mura and Drava, as well as along the Kolpa river. In higher areas of Slovenia, particularly in the Alps and the Dinaric region, invasive species are very few or entirely absent. However, a notable increase in their share along the western border of the Dinaric region raises concerns.

Bad

According to estimates, most of the food in Slovenia is imported. The share of food of domestic origin is decreasing in the long term. In 2022, only about one fifth of food is of domestic origin. Before 2004, less than half of the available food was imported, while after Slovenia’s accession to the EU, both import and export of food increased significantly. Exports increased mainly at the expense of unprocessed products, while imports increased at the expense of processed products.

Neutral

Measurements of soil samples from different agricultural land uses over the period 2015-2023 show that phosphorus (P) is deficient in soils of extensive orchards, olive groves and pastures, below optimum in intensive orchards, vineyards and grasslands, and adequate in arable land. The low phosphorus content is mainly due to the natural low content of this nutrient in Slovenian soils and leaching. Potassium (K) contents are generally higher than P, reflecting Slovenia's better natural soil K supply.

Bad

In the period 2020–2022, the cultivation of agricultural land decreased and the urbanization of soil/land is intensifying and thus causing irreversible soil degradation and loss of natural resources. Changes in the use of larger areas are noticeable mainly on the outskirts of settlements for the needs of industry and trade and along the routes of larger infrastructure facilities. However, small changes prevail in terms of scale due to dispersed individual construction, expansion and modernization of facilities and smaller infrastructure.

Neutral

The main source of renewable energy from agriculture in Slovenia is the production of electricity from biogas. The production increased from 0.04 kToe in 2004 to 10.67 kToe in 2011, then due to various problems of the biogas plant it fell to 6.6 kToe in 2022. It is also possible to use rapeseed oil for biodiesel production, but we do not have our own production in Pinus Rače anymore. The cultivation of rapeseed in the last two years has been below 3,000 ha, and the average yield per hectare is also low.

Good

There is a noticeable increase in the area of agricultural land included in the implementation of agri-environmental schemes (AES) measures in the period 2015–2022. During this period, the net area of agricultural land under agro-environmental measures increased from 65,354 ha to 97,652 ha (an increase of 49%). The share of the area of these land in the utilized agricultural area (UAA) thus increased from around 14 to around 20 %.