Echo: OECD sees Slovakia is not on a net-zero pathway

The OECD analyzed Slovakia’s environmental progress and published a report on April 18, titled “OECD Environmental Performance Reviews: Slovak Republic 2024”. The review highlights that Slovakia has made some advancements in environmental protection in recent years but continues to face multiple challenges. For a thorough examination, the full report is available on the OECD website.

Key findings include:

• Climate: Slovakia met its 2020 climate targets but needs to boost its efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. This requires accelerating the transition to clean energy, reducing emissions in the transport sector, and improving the energy efficiency of buildings.
• Air Quality: Air pollution remains a serious concern in some regions, primarily due to emissions from industry and transport.
• Waste: The country still landfills a significant amount of municipal waste, leading to soil and water pollution. There’s a need to decrease waste generation and invest in recycling and composting.
• Water: Investments are necessary to upgrade water infrastructure to improve access to clean water and reduce water losses.
• Contaminated Sites: Progress in remediating contaminated sites has been slow, posing environmental and health risks.

Slovenská verzia: Echo: Podľa OECD nie je Slovensko na trajektórii k uhlíkovej neutralite

Climate Neutrality: Slovakia has set a goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. This is an ambitious goal that will require substantial effort and investment.
Insufficient Progress: Despite established goals, Slovakia is not currently on a good path to achieving carbon neutrality. Projections suggest that greenhouse gas emissions will remain above the target trajectory.
Need for Accelerated Transformation: The country needs to accelerate the transition to clean energy, reduce emissions in the transport sector, and improve the energy efficiency of buildings to achieve its climate goals.

Source: OECD Environmental Performance Reviews: Slovak Republic 2024

High Energy Intensity: Slovakia has above-average energy consumption per capita compared to the OECD average, partly due to low energy efficiency in buildings and industry.
Growing Dependency on Energy Imports: Slovakia is highly dependent on energy imports, especially gas. This dependency poses a risk to the country’s energy security.
Need for Investment in Energy Efficiency: Reducing energy consumption would help Slovakia decrease greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy security. Investments in the energy efficiency of buildings and industry are crucial.

Energy Poverty: Energy poverty remains a serious issue in Slovakia. More households are struggling to pay their energy bills.
Insufficient Social Support: Existing social assistance for energy-poor households is inadequate. It needs to be expanded and improved.
Need for Energy-Efficient Solutions: Reducing energy consumption would help alleviate energy poverty. Energy-efficient solutions, such as building renovations, would be particularly beneficial for energy-poor households.

Renewable Energy Sources (RES): The share of RES in Slovakia’s total energy production is still low. The country needs to invest in RES to diversify its energy sources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Hydropower Potential: Slovakia has significant potential for hydropower, which is not yet fully utilized. Investing in hydropower plants would help increase the share of RES in total energy production.
Development of Solar and Wind Energy: Solar and wind energy are promising RES sources in Slovakia. The country should support the development of these technologies.

Source: OECD Environmental Performance Reviews: Slovak Republic 2024

Low Level of Green Investments: The level of green investments in Slovakia remains low. It is necessary to increase investments in renewable energy sources (RES), energy efficiency, and sustainable transportation.

Sustainability: Slovakia needs to transition to a more sustainable economic and societal model. This will require a comprehensive approach that includes addressing climate change, reducing air and water pollution, decreasing waste production, and protecting biodiversity.

OECD Recommendations:

• Zvýšenie investícií do obnoviteľných zdrojov energie a zlepšenia energetickej efektívnosti.
• Implementácia prísnejších predpisov o kvalite ovzdušia na riešenie znečistenia z priemyslu a dopravy.
• Vyčlenenie väčších zdrojov na sanáciu kontaminovaných lokalít.
• Rozšírenie prístupu k čistej vode a zníženie strát vody prostredníctvom zlepšenia infraštruktúry.
• Zavedenie politík na podporu znižovania tvorby odpadu a obehového hospodárstva.
• Posilnenie legislatívy a mechanizmov presadzovania ochrany životného prostredia.

OECD report: OECD Environmental Performance Reviews: Slovak Republic 2024

Images credit: OECD Environmental Performance Reviews: Slovak Republic 2024