OECD Environmental Performance Reviews: Slovak Republic 2024
The Slovak Republic has reduced some environmental pressures over the past decade. However, it needs to do more to reduce air pollution, improve waste and wastewater treatment and move towards carbon neutrality. Since 2011, the country has taken important steps to improve its biodiversity policy. Slovakia needs to now align its strategy with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. Most species and habitats are in an unfavourable state and biodiversity considerations are not sufficiently integrated into sectoral policies.
This is the third Environmental Performance Review of the Slovak Republic. It provides an evidence-based assessment of the country's progress towards its environmental goals over the past decade. The 29 recommendations aim to help Slovakia improve its environmental performance, giving special focus to biodiversity and forests in the context of climate change.
Executive summary
The Slovak Republic has a small, open economy that grew steadily between 2010 and 2019. After a deep contraction during the COVID-19 crisis, gross domestic product (GDP) rebounded in 2021 and has grown moderately since. Over 2010-19, the country reduced domestic material consumption, emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and major air pollutants, and to a lesser extent, energy supply and freshwater abstractions. However, air pollution remains a health concern; much municipal waste ends up in landfills; and progress in remediating contaminated sites has been slow. The country has improved wastewater treatment but faces the challenge of expanding coverage in the many small municipalities.
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