Air

air

Estonia's air is among the cleanest in the world. However, we also have air pollution. Polluted air is a considerable environmental threat to human health. Most harmful are tiny particles from vehicle emissions, combustion processes and chemical reactions in the atmosphere.

Statistics provide an overview of air emissions in Estonia and their origin, for example

emissions of chemical and organic compounds and fine particles;
emissions of gases caused by acid rain.

The data on air pollutant emissions are used when drawing up development and action plans and for monitoring air quality.

Emissions of sulphur dioxide 11.0 thousand tonnes

-25.7%

2023

Tabel KK80

Emissions of nitrogen oxides 18.7 thousand tonnes

-11.8%

2023

Tabel KK80

Emissions of volatile organic compounds 23.1 thousand tonnes

-6.1%

2023

Tabel KK80

Emissions of fine particulate matter (PM < 10 µm) 8.8 thousand tonnes

-2.2%

2023

Tabel SN11

Emissions of acidifying pollutants 1.3 thousand tonnes of acidifying equivalents

-13.3%

2023

Tabel SN11

CO₂ emissions from electricity and heat production, 2015–2023

Unit: thousand tons


2015	10,331
2016	12,845
2017	13,807
2018	12,809
2019	7,040
2020	4,756
2021	6,154
2022	7,774
2023	4,508

Emissions of acidifying pollutants, 2014–2023

Unit: thousand tonnes of acidifying equavalents


2014	2.7
2015	2.4
2016	2.4
2017	2.5
2018	2.2
2019	1.7
2020	1.4
2021	1.4
2022	1.5
2023	1.3

Emissions of nitrogen oxides, 2015–2023

Unit: tons

	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Economic activities total	46,143	47,883	45,678	43,278	41,146	31,389	30,631	30,541	26,382
Agriculture, forestry and fishing	5,423	5,844	5,061	5,115	5,340	4,806	4,682	4,558	3,918
Manufacturing	2,812	2,884	3,590	3,595	2,116	1,841	1,570	1,690	2,063
Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply	7,568	8,605	9,128	8,239	6,045	4,855	5,470	6,522	4,764
Land transport and transport via pipelines	5,559	5,743	7,451	5,448	8,039	6,747	6,095	4,871	5,004
Water transport	21,267	20,855	17,049	17,197	15,744	10,272	9,692	9,335	7,360
Air transport	417	467	653	862	1,419	649	815	1,113	1,014
Households total	7,116	6,709	6,960	6,835	6,506	6,233	5,539	5,380	4,802

Emissions of volatile organic compounds, 2014–2023

Unit: tons

	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Economic activities total	15,015	14,322	14,379	14,549	14,343	13,957	13,831	14,605	14,778	14,369
Agriculture, forestry and fishing	5,530	5,127	4,959	5,006	4,903	4,924	4,870	4,786	4,826	4,743
Manufacturing	4,908	5,169	3,709	3,990	4,033	3,747	3,752	3,863	3,887	3,512
Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply	397	470	2,066	2,218	2,221	2,165	2,128	2,021	1,879	2,776
Land transport and transport via pipelines	287	277	298	369	274	376	319	297	277	299
Water transport	691	737	720	588	590	542	354	335	323	254
Air transport	24	21	22	31	37	60	29	33	45	40
Households total	9,524	9,174	8,982	9,749	9,413	10,075	9,869	11,404	10,455	9,318