About the Ministry

Estonian natural values and resources form a national wealth, which shall be used sustainably. The task of the Ministry of Climate is to create such prerequisites and conditions which ensure us and the following generations diverse nature and clean living environment as well as the sustainable use of natural resources.

The Ministry of Climate of Estonia focuses on enhancing the living environment while taking into consideration environmental protection. The Ministry’s work ensures sustainable development and responsible economic growth, considering both current and future generations.

Green shift and climate policy, including carbon markets and green technologies, are at the centre of the Ministry’s activities in combatting climate change. The focus is on climate goals and climate adaptation, balancing a broad range of diverse topics related to biodiversity, energy, mobility and transport, construction, housing, maritime affairs and much more.

The advancement of the living environment, including housing policy and construction sector, is steered by quality principles set by the New European Bauhaus initiative, the Davos process, and the national agreement on quality goals. In terms of biodiversity, the Ministry engages in nature conservation, reduction of industrial emissions, forestry, marine and aquatic environment protection, and environmental monitoring.

In the energy sector, the focus is on energy efficiency, renewable energy development, and energy economics, as well as ensuring supply security. The field of mobility and transport includes road maintenance, aviation, and railway priorities. To promote circular economy, priority is given to effective waste management.

Statutes of the Ministry – Read more about the tasks and objectives of the Ministry of Climate in Riigi Teataja

The area of government of the Ministry includes: 

• comprehensive implementation of the green reform
• formulation of climate policy (including the preparation, implementation and supervision of climate plans)
• guiding entrepreneurship towards cleaner technologies
• enhancing the international competitiveness of maritime economy
• development of the sectors of maritime economy and the state-owned fleet of water craft (excluding water craft included in the register of water craft of the Estonian Defence Forces and Estonian Defence League)
• accelerating the development of renewable energy and co-ordinating the implementation of renewable energy projects
• organisation of circular economy, including resource efficiency and waste management policies
• organisation of environmental protection and nature conservation, management of the use, protection, recovery and accounting of natural resources
• organisation of environmental supervision, meteorological observations, nature and marine research, water protection and use
• policy on the protection and use of the marine environment
• formulation of ambient air protection, radiation and nuclear safety policy and organisation of environmental monitoring
• management of energy and earth resources, geological mapping and ensuring national geological competence
• living environment, housing and construction
• transport (including transport, international public transport, transit, logistics and transport infrastructure), traffic management (including rail, road, street, water and air traffic), planning and implementation of transport systems, mobility and mobility services (including public transport infrastructure investment and procurement, procurement of transport infrastructure and state-owned water craft, excluding procurement of water craft included in the register of water craft of the Estonian Defence Forces and Estonian Defence League and procurement related to the operation of water craft)
• enhancing traffic safety and drafting the relevant legislation