The Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning ensures that all citizens of the Republic of Slovenia have a healthy living environment. It promotes and coordinates efforts toward sustainable development, while striving for social well-being based on a wise and efficient use of natural resources.

The Ministry endeavours to increase the concern of society for maintaining natural balance and biodiversity in the country, in the belief that biodiversity is an important heritage for future generations.

It directs the spatial development of our cities, towns and villages, so that we will maintain and develop the quality of architectural and urban heritage and cultural landscape, while at the same time ensuring economic, social and cultural development.

Convinced that the future of Slovenia is in the community of European nations, the Ministry ensures all necessary conditions are met for Slovenia to participate on an equal footing in European Union affairs in the fields of infrastructural integration and environmental standards and rules.

It is responsible for adequate water resources, water quality, and sustainable management of surface, underground and seawater, since water is one of the most important natural resources in Slovenia.

The Ministry ensures that development in Slovenia will direct human activities in such a way that natural disasters will affect them as little as possible. It also establishes solidarity mechanisms for natural disaster relief.

It ensures that environmental costs are included in economic ones at the level of business and the national economy.

In pursuing the objectives of sustainable development, the Ministry establishes cooperation with local communities according to the principles of partnership and subsidiarity. It ensures the openness of development and enforcement of policies and sustainable development measures by encouraging the participation of individuals and groups, as well as civil society organisations. Most of all, it strives to strengthen the awareness of shared responsibility for the state of the natural and man-made environment among all people living in Slovenia.