Building a Sustainable Future: Examining the Impact of the Estonia-Latvia Programme 2014-2020 on awareness of resource efficiency

To evaluate the impact of the Estonia-Latvia programme and determine the effectiveness of the allocated funds, specific objectives and expected results were established for selected priorities. These indicators were assessed through surveys and questionnaires conducted between 2014 and 2023, comparing the results to the baseline indicators set in 2014. 

In the period from 2014 to 2020, a total of 55 projects received co-funding of €35,267,811 from the European Regional Development Fund. 22 projects of the total were funded under the priority  "Clean and Valued Living Environment" and the overall aim of the priority was to increase awareness among inhabitants regarding resource efficiency. The baseline indicator set in 2014 was 43%, with a target value of 53% to be achieved by the end of the programme period. Surveys were conducted in 2018, 2021, and 2023, with 2,008, 2,044, and 2,039 respondents respectively, from the programme area. The surveys assessed respondents' awareness and behavior towards energy saving, waste sorting, and reuse.

According to the methodology used to calculate the baseline indicator, awareness of resource efficiency was high in 2018 (53%) and 2021 (50%). These positive results indicate an increase in environmental awareness during the implementation period of the 2014-2020 programme. However, in the 2023 survey, the percentage of people who were "very familiar with the topic" dropped back to the baseline value of 43%.

To gain a deeper understanding of the environmental result indicators, it is essential to examine the survey results in more detail, particularly the changes in awareness in the categories of energy saving, waste sorting, and recycling. And besides responses “very familiar with the topic” also take a look at the response options “know the topic, but no interest", as the increase of the second option also reflects the increase in awareness, but for some reason the person is not interested of confused to put their knowledge into practice. 

Energy saving

Below are three charts showing in detail the responses from questionnaires about awareness on energy saving, waste sorting and recycling. The charts reveal a significant increase in awareness of energy-saving topics, with 57% of respondents being very familiar with the subject. 

Waste sorting & Recycling

However, the results for waste sorting and recycling show a decrease in awareness, with fewer respondents claiming to be very familiar with the topic. It is interesting to look at the more detailed results of the responses to questions relating waste sorting and recycling, as the results show a decrease in awareness.

The responses show that less people are confident say that they are very familiar with the topic and more people are saying that they know the topic, but are not interested to act on it. This could mean that during the recent years and some modifications in the legislative acts of waste sorting system, people are confused and not yet sure of themselves.

It also could mean that there is a lot of information about how to sort waste, but also the information is sometimes contradictory and confusing. 

Waste sorting and recycling topic is complex and therefore when analysing awareness change it is important to look at both responses “very familiar” and “know the topic, but no interest”, as in 2023 the number of responses choosing option “they know the topic, but not interested to act” is significantly higher. So while the awareness has increased, the question remains why the respondents are choosing not to act and implement their knowledge. 

As conclusion and after explaining the more detailed results, the general awareness on resource efficiency of the people living in the programme area has increased. Also shown with the green line on infograph 1. 

Overview of the surveys:

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