Over the next seven years, with the support of the European Union, about 137 million euros will be invested in making businesses environmentally more sustainable. Today, the Ministry of the Environment introduced structural aid developments for the next seven years for all interested parties.
"We still are one of the Europe's most resource-heavy economies, which also, together with negative environmental impact, acts as a brake to our competitiveness. It is possible to reduce or, during product development stage, even to prevent pollution and intensive use of natural resource relating to production. In Estonia, there are many such companies that have interest and preparedness for economy that is more innovative, environmentally friendly and sustainable, the EU's money helps us to make the necessary investments," the Minister of the Environment Keit Pentus-Rosimannus said.
Reduction of ecological footprint of companies and support of sustainable resource use is one of the most investment-intensive areas for the next budgetary period. There is a plan to support such investments, which reduce the need for raw materials or energy consumption, and assessments, which indicate if and which part of industrial process can be improved and made more sustainable. Additionally, companies will be supported to fulfil tightening environmental standards by investing, for instance, in cleaning technology.
In addition to environmentally friendly entrepreneurship, the priority of the started budgetary period is nature protection, in which 100 million euros will be invested in the coming seven years. The particular focus is on habitat restoration, protection of species, maintenance of protection areas, but contribution is also made to improving river health and cleaning polluted areas making them safe.
In the new budgetary period, further development of infrastructure for modern water supply and clean drinking water continues to play an important role. The goal is to make clean, drinkable tap water accessible for all inhabitants of larger cities by the end of 2014.
In addition to the EU's support, money achieved from environmental product fees and emissions trading are also added. The total invested in activities related to the environment for the next sever year period is over billion euros.
(18.06.2014)