Material and energy efficiency

Society has an impact on the environment by extracting resources and energy and generating waste and pollution. It is important to use natural resources sustainably and preserve the environment in order to maintain ecological balance and ensure economic growth.

The preparation of environmental accounts based on the principles of economic statistics allows the integrated analysis of production, resource and energy use, emissions and environmental taxes. By combining data, it is possible to assess the impact of the economy on the environment and the contribution of the environment to the economy. The indicators resulting from these analyses are much more informative than indicators based on a single domain.

There is increasing public interest in environmental indicators. They are used to make decisions, implement new or ease existing measures, monitor development plans and domain-specific action plans, develop the circular economy, shape relevant policies, and monitor sustainability on the national level.

Recent decades have witnessed a significant technological development, with production becoming more energy and material resource efficient and versatile. Indicators compiled on the basis of material and energy balances can be used to characterize material and energy use and resource efficiency of the economy.

Statistics on material and energy efficiency provide an overview of the following:

  • how skilfully and efficiently resources are used in Estonia;
  • how much value added is created per one kilogramme of physical resources used;
  • what the gross domestic product per unit of energy consumed is;
  • how much material and energy has been consumed by the economy;
  • how much domestic raw material is consumed per capita and per unit of area;
  • what the physical trade balance is;
  • which economic activities consume the most energy.

The data are needed to plan national development, develop a sustainable and competitive energy sector, monitor the circular economy action plan and, more broadly, the sustainability of the country.

Domestic material consumption 36.86 million tonnes
5.7%
2022
Resource productivity 0.70 euro per kg
-5.4%
2022
Domestic extraction used per capita 30.2 tonnes
4.9%
2022
Physical trade balance -3.94 million tonnes
-12.3%
2022
Area intensity, used domestic extraction 0.9 kg/km²
5.9%
2022
Energy productivity 4.2 euros per kg of oil equivalent
-4.5%
2022
Domestic extraction used | 2013–2022
Physical trade balance | 2013–2022
Domestic material consumption per capita | 2013 – 2022
Unit: tons
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Direct material input per capita 38.50 37.30 36.80 36.10 42.50 45.10 41.50 40.00 41.40 40.50
Domestic material consumption per capita 28.40 27.10 26.90 26.00 30.80 31.90 28.60 27.30 26.20 27.30

Economic activities with highest energy consumption | 2016 – 2021
Unit: TJ
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
A_U 01-99 Total NACE industries 187,644 200,601 208,050 172,198 156,071 165,269
A01 Crop and animal production, hunting and related service activities 4,802 5,013 5,370 4,858 4,750 3,920
C16 Manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork, except furniture; manufacture of articles of straw and plaiting materials 3,186 3,432 3,479 3,590 4,120 3,500
C17 Manufacture of paper and paper products 2,772 3,182 3,276 2,709 2,693 3,717
C19 Manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products 6,902 11,032 9,964 10,239 10,210 11,545
C23 Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products 3,329 4,241 4,739 4,292 1,622 1,567
D Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply 98,796 107,194 103,081 69,496 54,047 59,145
F Construction 5,994 6,309 6,010 5,982 8,053 6,526
H49 Land transport and transport via pipelines 13,188 13,648 26,946 24,441 27,153 29,187
H50 Water transport 10,810 6,004 6,171 4,850 4,290 3,893
L Real estate activities 4,501 4,150 4,399 4,395 4,150 4,102
HH Total activities by households 53,297 53,267 53,615 53,923 51,748 52,535
HH_HEAT Heating/cooling activities by households 35,750 36,363 36,718 36,799 36,871 37,484
HH_TRA Transport activities by households 13,232 12,533 12,606 12,462 10,370 10,044
HH_OTH Other activities by households 4,315 4,372 4,292 4,662 4,507 5,008
TOTAL 240,941 253,868 261,665 226,121 207,818 217,805

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