Employers: Let us drop the climate law
The council of the Estonian Employers' Confederation, representing major employers, decided not to support the climate bill in its current form and urged the government to drop it.
"Businesses support sustainable practices and the climate act should also protect the investment and business environment. Unfortunately, the current bill and the process behind it do not offer that and we've simply lost time," said Kati Rostfeldt, head of sustainable business at the Estonian Employers' Confederation.
Employers had already emphasized a year ago that impact assessments, implementation measures and roadmaps for achieving the set goals must be in place before the bill is adopted. These have yet to be completed. "Only then will there be the necessary clarity and confidence in how meeting climate targets can enhance the competitiveness of the economy," Rostfeldt added.
At a Tuesday meeting with the Employers' Confederation's sustainability working group, representatives from the Ministry of Climate confirmed that the bill is expected to be submitted to parliament for deliberation by February 2026 at the latest. That is the final possible timeframe for the current Riigikogu to pass the climate act.
"Since none of the missing and critically important documents have been produced or shared with businesses over the past year, employers do not see it as realistic to develop high-quality roadmaps in such a short time. Businesses cannot support pushing the climate act into force hastily and without coordinated roadmaps," the confederation stated.
"Due to the lack of a clear and reliable implementation plan, the council of the Employers' Confederation recommends that the government abandon the climate bill in its current form," the statement said.
The council is a 30-member body composed of confederation representatives, fulfilling the role of the highest governing body — the general assembly — within the scope set by the organization's bylaws.
The Estonian Employers' Confederation brings together major industry associations and many of Estonia's largest companies. In total, the confederation represents more than 2,000 companies directly or through its member associations, employing 250,000 workers. The confederation is a non-governmental, nonpartisan organization.
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Editor: Valner Väino, Marcus Turovski
