Biodiversity ensures the well-being of people One of the most important ideas of the Age of Enlightenment was that man stands outside nature, studies and rules it. Unfortunately, this idea is still present in Western civilization today and may also be the main cause of the modern ecological crisis. In ecological terms, man does not stand outside nature, but is critically dependent on it. The...

Environmental monitoring provides basic data for decisions concerning the environment and the society How are our eagles doing? Is the air in Tallinn more polluted today than ten years ago? How big are the fish stocks of Lake Peipsi? We get answers to these and many other environmental questions thanks to continuous environmental monitoring. Environmental monitoring means the planned and...

The main task of the GBIF is to make information on species available freely and free of charge in a uniform format for all interested parties The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) is an international network that aims to share information on all types of biodiversity in the world. The main task of the GBIF is to make biodiversity information available freely, free of charge, and to...

In Estonia, the Lahemaa, Matsalu, and Soomaa National Parks have received recognition for sustainable tourism in protected areas The EUROPARC Federation, also known as the Federation of Nature and National Parks of Europe, was set up in 1973 to promote the planning and management of protected areas, to contribute to the creation of new protected areas, and to raise awareness of protected areas...

The role of the European Environment Agency is to provide reliable and independent environmental information on Europe Established in 1990, the European Environment Agency (EEA) is the European Union’s body responsible for providing reliable and independent environmental information. The European Environment Agency is an important source of information for environmental policy makers, implementers...

The IUCN identifies and maps the world’s major environmental conservation challenges and develops measures to address or mitigate them The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organisation established in 1948 to promote nature conservation and the ecologically sustainable use of natural resources. The union brings together national governments, non-governmental...

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 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 Aarhus Convention is an important cornerstone of environmental policy and law The Aarhus Convention regulates access to information, public participation in decision-making, and access to justice in environmental matters. The convention is one of the conventions of the UN. The Aarhus Convention is an important cornerstone of environmental policy and law. It gives people the opportunity to have...

There are seven HELCOM areas in Estonia, covering 24% of Estonia’s territorial sea The Helsinki Convention, or the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area (also the HELCOM Convention), is designed to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea. The first version of the convention was adopted in 1974 and entered into force in 1980. Estonia acceded to this...