Slovakia is a land-locked country at the heart of Europe. Its rich natural environment and biodiversity, with one of the largest NATURA 2000 networks, is one of its strongest assets. Forests cover 40% of the territory.
The implementation of EU environmental law on the ground remains a serious challenge, due mainly to a lack of administrative capacity and appropriate funding.
As the country’s current economic model is highly dependent on energy intensive industries, decoupling economic growth from pressures on the environment remains a challenge and in particular in waste management and air pollution.
Highlights
The emissions of several air pollutants have decreased significantly in Slovakia since 2005.
The quality of drinking water in Slovakia does not give cause for concern, with the compliance rate for all parameter groups exceeding 99%.
Main Challenges
Circular economy
Slovakia is at risk of missing the municipal waste and packaging waste targets and not meeting the 2035 target of max 10% of municipal waste landfilled. Mixed municipal waste is still allowed to be landfilled without pre-treatment and Slovakia repeatedly postponed the introduction of a pre-treatment obligation.
Nature and biodiversity
Slovak forests in Natura 2000 sites are still facing high levels of logging that is not properly assessed and the country also keeps failing to protect the Capercaillie bird species.
A recent amendment to Slovakia’s Nature Conservation Act lifted prohibitions to motorised vehicles’ access to protected areas, including NATURA 2000 sites, reduced public participation in related administrative procedures and restricted the functioning of voluntary nature guards.
Pollution
Slovakia’s surface water bodies face a deteriorating trend concerning their ecological and chemical status and the country still faces a significant gap in implementing the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive.
Governance and investment
The investment gap is estimated at €1.1 billion per year in Slovakia, which represents around 1.02% of its GDP (higher than the EU average of 0.77%).
On environmental governance, Slovakia must urgently ensure a correct transposition of the revised EIA Directive. An infringement case has been ongoing since 2019.