In Estonia, nature conservation is organised by several agencies of the Ministry of the Environment The Ministry of the Climate is responsible for organising environmental and nature conservation, performing tasks related to land and spatial databases, organising the use, protection, reproduction, and accounting of natural resources, ensuring radiation protection, performing tasks related to...

In the section on green initiatives, we take a closer look at how any organisation or company, or indeed any person, can reduce the negative environmental impacts of their activities and thus contribute to improving the state of the environment and protect biodiversity. Green procurements are a powerful administrative tool for both the public and private sectors in moving towards more...

As at 31 December 2024, there were a total of 4506 protected natural objects in Estonia. That is 51 objects more than in the previous year. In the following, the difference in the number of objects compared to 2023 is shown in brackets. The more detailed breakdown by type is as follows: nature reserves – 242 (no change ↔); landscape protection areas – 150 (no change ↔); national parks – 6 (no...

The aim of the fisheries agreements is cooperation on the sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources and the fight against illegal fishing Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), adopted in 1982, states have the right to control fishing in the waters adjacent to their coasts. Under the convention, countries are required to conclude reciprocal fisheries agreements...

The aim of the agreements is to regulate cooperation between countries on the sea, with the main emphasis of combating marine pollution There are many agreements for the protection of the seas in the world. Estonia has joined several of them [1]. The aim of the agreements is to regulate cooperation between countries on the sea, with the main emphasis of combating marine pollution. The most...

The Estonian-Russian transboundary waters require close and practical cooperation In 1995, Estonia acceded to the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, adopted three years earlier in Helsinki. The purpose of the convention is to protect international lakes and transboundary waters from transboundary environmental impacts and pollution, and to...

The purpose of the Ramsar Convention is to protect the wetlands of the world, which are in danger of disappearing due to drainage, pollution, and economic uses Each year, on 2 February, the World Wetlands Day is celebrated. On that date in the year 1971, the convention for the protection of the world’s wetlands was signed in Ramsar, Iran. The convention entered into force in 1975. The purpose of...

The purpose of the convention is to protect the whale populations The International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling aims to protect whale populations and ensure the sustainability of whaling. The convention was signed and entered into force in 1946 in Washington. Estonia acceded to the convention in 2008. As at 2022, 88 countries have acceded to the convention [1]. The International...

Natural genetic diversity is protected either in situ (in nature, in the species’ natural habitat) or ex situ (outside its natural habitat, under farm conditions) Genetic diversity is protected both as natural diversity and as agricultural genetic diversity or other genetic diversity necessary for humans (crops, pets, medicinal plants, etc.). Natural genetic diversity is protected either in situ...

National support measures are needed to preserve indigenous breeds Six local endangered breeds have been officially recognised in Estonia: Estonian native cattle and the Estonian Native horse, the Estonian Draft horse and the old (universal direction) population of the Tori horse, the Estonian quail and the Kihnu native sheep [1]. Preservation of the breeds suitable for Estonia as well as genetic...