Estonia

Estonia ranks 18th in the CCPI, falling four spots and moving it from a high–performing country to a medium. Estonia ranks medium in GHG Emissions, high in Renewable Energy, high in Energy Use, and low in Climate Policy.

Estonia ranks 7th in the Renewable Energy category, up one position compared to last year. It leads all countries on the Renewable Energy 2030 target indicator (including hydro). The country aims to reach 100% of its electricity consumption from renewables by 2030.

Estonia has national greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets for 2035 or 2050. While some sector-specific interim targets exist, partly due to EU legislation, there are no legally binding or comprehensive intermediate targets in place. The CCPI country experts criticise Estonia’s proposed emissions reductions exceeding the country’s fair share of the global carbon budget and lacking legal enforceability. The previous National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) that Estonia submitted in 2019 included a targeted 70% reduction of GHG emissions by 2030, as it was then also stipulated in a national strategic document, from which the target was later repealed. Although Estonia submitted a new NECP to the EU in the summer of 2025, this new plan remains silent on the 70% reduction target and on the GHG reduction target supposedly set in national policy for 2035. Whether the 70% target remains valid, given that it was included in the previous NECP and EU governance rules prohibit backsliding on climate commitments, is currently the subject of an ongoing court case in Estonia.

Deforestation is troubling and a legally binding fossil phase-out policy is needed

Since 2014, the Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector has no longer absorbed more emissions than it produced, and has instead become a net source of emissions, mainly due to peat extraction and clear cutting. This has led to a dramatic reduction of old-growth forests and declining forest bird populations. A large share of harvested wood is processed into pellets and burned as biomass, mostly in Western Europe.

The experts criticise the lack of a clear and legally binding policy in place for phase-out of fossil fuel extraction and production. Oil shale mining permits are regularly extended to upcoming years.

The experts recommend adopting a science-based climate act and setting frequent and legally binding GHG emissions reduction targets based on Estonia’s fair carbon budget. They advise establishing and enforcing a policy of rapid fossil fuel phase-out. They recommend reducing the yearly logging quota, limiting cutting peat and draining wetlands, and restoring degraded nature. Finally, they urge Estonia to substantively increase its contribution to the UN Loss and Damage Fund.

Key Outcomes

CCPI experts

National experts that contributed to the policy evaluation of this year’s CCPI chose to remain anonymous.