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

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.

Good

In 2023, around 182 million pieces of plastic carrier bags were placed on the Slovenian market, of which 99% were those with a wall thickness of less than 50 microns (light plastic carrier bags). In Slovenia, the consumption of lightweight plastic carrier bags amounted to 85 bags per capita in 2023 In the same year, 145.9 million pieces of single-use food containers made wholly or partly of plastic and 174.4 million pieces of single-use beverage cups made wholly or partly of plastic were placed on the Slovenian market.

Bad

In the period 2003-2024, the highest exposure to ozone concentrations were detected in the Primorska region in summer where air quality measuring stations in Koper and Nova Gorica Grčna detected highest ozone concentrations in ambient air. There are some differences from year to year in a level of ozone exposure due to meteorological conditions in the warm half of the year and other regional characteristics.

Neutral

In Slovenia, we cultivate slightly more than 8 acres (0.08 hectares) of arable land per capita, which more than third of the average in the European Union (EU), which is 22 acres of arable land per capita (data for year 2023). This area did not change significantly between 2000 and 2023, which indicates that Slovenia maintains its production potential.

Good

The phosphorus (P) budget in agriculture decreased by 109 % in the period 1992–2024. The decline is the result of a decreased P intake with mineral and livestock fertilizers, as well as the consequence of increased P uptake by agricultural crops. The period up to 2003 was characterized by a surplus of 11 to 16 kg per hectare. Thereafter, the surpluses decreased and reached an average value of +0.4 kg P per hectare in the last five-year period. A realistic comparison of the surplus with other EU Member States is not possible.

Neutral

Overall, the data confirm a clear distribution of carbon stocks by land use: organic/peat-influenced soils and uses with permanent vegetation cover (peatland meadows, permanent grasslands, tree- and shrub-dominated vegetation) reach the highest stocks (approximately 105–190 t/ha, with peatlands at the top). These are followed by extensive orchards (around 100 t/ha), while intensive orchards and vineyards remain in the lower range (approximately 59–94 t/ha). Arable land falls within the medium range, but shows signs of an increase after 2020 (113.3 t/ha).