Estonia Ranked 35th in Energy Sustainability Index
According to the 2012 ranking released today, Estonia has risen three places in the Energy Sustainability Index but is still a long way from the 23rd position it achieved in 2010.
Created by the World Energy Council, the index measures energy performance and contextual attributes including political, societal and economic strengths.
Compared to 2011, Estonia's energy security had greatly improved thanks to an increase in energy production but the environmental impact mitigation decreased for the second year running, falling from fifth place in 2010 to 50th last year.
Other variables that contributed to the nation's ranking have remained at the same level.
Minister of the Environment Keit Pentus-Rosimannus said in a press release today that compared to other Nordic states, Estonia's decades-long dependence on environmentally unfriendly oil shale has been a burden on its energy sector.
“It has become very expensive for consumers as well as for the environment and there is little perspective in this way,” said the minister.
Pentus-Rosimannus said decreasing the dependence on expensive fossil fuels is in the interest of consumers and good for national competitiveness, including in the electricity, heating and transport industries.
The oil shale industry is responsible for 70 percent of sulfur emissions and 90 percent of CO2 emissions in Estonia, according to the ministry. Energy production from oil shale also accounts for 80 percent of the nation's annual water usage.
Sweden, Switzerland and Canada lead the index while Senegal, India and Pakistan occupy the bottom three positions in the 94-country ranking.
Latvia is in 37th position and Lithuania in 31st, while Finland comes in at fifth. Estonia's eastern neighbor, Russia, is placed 26th.