Most money will be directed into water management, which will make up approximately 75 percent of the environmental program. The next biggest recipients will be environmental awareness and waste management.

Altogether 845 projects with a total of €35,186,899 in requested funding were submitted to the EIC's environmental program, of which 816 projects with €31,893,266 in requested funding met valid requirements.

Due to decreased resource fees, the EIC announced the call for proposals to a limited extent in 2017. The call for proposals was for projects in ten fields of activity: water management, waste management, environmental management, wildlife conservation, forestry, fisheries, protection of the atmospheric air, marine environment, the Earth's crust and environmental awareness.

In addition, the supervisory board of the EIC endorsed Minister of the Environment Siim Valmar Kiisler (IRL) as chairman of the EIC supervisory board. The other members of the supervisory board are Kalle Muuli, Valeri Korb, Heino Priimägi, Tarmo Leppoja, Rein Randver, Rainer Vakra, Merle Mäesalu and Meelis Mälberg.

Founded in May 2000, the EIC funds various environmental projects from funding gathered from Estonia's environmental charges, income from carbon dioxide quota sales as well as from EU Structural Funds. The center also offers the opportunity to apply for loans for a specific purpose to carry out environmental projects. In 17 years, the state through the Environmental Investment Center has given altogether more than 1.2 billion euros to approximately 20,000 environmental projects.