Environmental Sustainability Determinants of Agricultural Productivity in the Baltic States

Abstract

Agriculture faces growing sustainability challenges due to increasing environmental pressures and the need to ensure long‑term food security. This article examines the impact of environmental sustainability indicators, such as ammonia and greenhouse gases, nitrogen and phosphorus fertilisers, water consumption, area under organic farming, energy consumption and waste generation, on agricultural productivity in the Baltic countries. The research methodology involved a comparative analysis and the calculation of Pearson’s correlation coefficients, as well as the application of simple linear regression, using Eurostat data from 2012 to 2022. The results showed that productivity is most strongly influenced by greenhouse gases and nitrogen fertilisers in Estonia and Latvia and by the area under organic farming in Latvia and Lithuania. Meanwhile, energy consumption had a positive impact in Latvia and Lithuania, but a negative one in Estonia. These results are important for shaping environmental and agricultural policy in the Baltic region, aiming to balance productivity growth with sustainability goals.