The ministry is seeking feedback on the draft climate law and its explanatory memorandum until September 5.

The bill's stated goal is to reduce emissions.

Speaking to "Aktuaalne kaamera," Climate Minister Yoko Alender (Reform) said: "The journey to 2050 is still quite a long one, and it is important that we have established the trajectories for different sectors on how to reduce pollution."

"There is already a list of measures to achieve this, but knowing that technologies in this field develop very rapidly, the measures may need to be added or changed over time," she went on.

"Consequently we have the climate council, which consists of specialists with scientific backgrounds, who advise both the government and the Riigikogu on how to shape these measures," Alender added.

The ministry said that the greatest impact in the bill lies with the growth of clean energy production, something which is also crucial for maintaining economic competitiveness, she said.

Setting sectoral goals has left the space needed to promote investments in new clean industries. The state reportedly supports Estonian firms' international competitiveness via environmentally friendly public procurement and investments, while testing new technologies will get easier to.

According to the ministry, the bill sets a trajectory for how the Estonian economy can keep pace with the expectations of Estonia's main export markets.

Kristi Klaas, Ministry of Climate deputy secretary general, with the green reform portfolio, told ERR: "Even now, compared with 1990, we have significantly cut pollution. The key to further emission reductions lies in transforming the energy system into being clean and affordable."

The focus in the energy sector remains with increasing the share and production of renewable energy.

By 2040, security of supply must also be ensured with the absence CO2 emissions and, similarly, heat production must be CO2-free by 2040 – referring to district heating plants which operate in the major towns winter.

Within the transport sector, the focus is on reducing emissions in cities, where most of these originate. This will be achieved by creating more opportunities for walking, cycling, and public transport, and making public transport as sustainable as possible.

The goal is for about 60 percent of school and work commutes in cities to be made on foot, by bike or on public transport. Currently, the figure stands at around 40 percent.

The focus on reducing emissions within agriculture includes various precision solutions which help, among other things, reduce the use of mineral fertilizers, increase grazing, use agricultural land on peat soils more soil-friendly, and boost biogas production.

Within the oil shale industry, under the terms of the bill mining permits will be issued only for the production of oil shale chemical by-products or other products that are not used as fuels or in energy.

In order to reduce emissions in the building sector, the ministry has stressed the importance of renovating and improving living environments. The state supports this via various grant rounds.

Street lighting is also to be made more energy-efficient.

The cutting of emissions in the waste sector will be achieved via waste reform and the promotion of a circular economy.

The basis for reducing emissions in the land use sector includes reducing the environmental impact of peat cutting, sustainable forestry, nature conservation, improving the condition of degraded ecosystems, and rational and well thought-through land use planning, the ministry says.

The bill also stresses increasing the capacity to adapt to climate change. It sets out the expectation that all sectors consider climate change impacts across all planning processes, as well as in procurement and infrastructure construction.

The Ministry of Climate is to incorporate feedback received and present the law to the Riigikogu this coming fall.

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