Czechia

<div>To benefit from the support of the Recovery and Resilience Facility set up by the EU in the aftermath of the COVID-19-induced economic crisis, Member States submit their recovery and resilience plans to the European Commission. Each plan sets out the reforms and investments to be implemented by end-2026 and Member States can receive financing up to a previously agreed allocation. Each plan should effectively address challenges identified in the European Semester, particularly the country-specific recommendations of 2019 and 2020 adopted by the Council. It should also advance the green and digital transitions and make Member States’ economies and societies more resilient. The Commission validates the plan after which it effectively enters in force and EU subsidies can start flowing towards the member state. The European Commission has given a positive assessment to Czechia’s recovery and resilience plan, which will be financed by €7 billion in grants. 42% of the plan’s total allocation for reforms and investments supports climate objectives, including:</div><ul><li>Energy efficiency: financing large-scale renovation programmes to increase the energy efficiency of residential and public buildings, childcare and long-term care facilitites. €1.6 billion</li><li>Renewable energy sources: supporting the installation of renewable energy sources for businesses and households. €480 million</li><li>Sustainable mobility: financing of more than 5,000 low-emission vehicles for the public and business sector, promoting the deployment of over 4,500 electric charging stations, improving railway infrastructure and 90 km of cycling pathways. €1.1 billion</li><li>Circular economy: investing in recycling infrastructure and support for circular economy solutions and water savings in businesses. €141 million</li></ul>

This policy was approved by governmental resolution 259/2021. It notably aims to decarbonise the sector.

The State Environmental Policy of the Czech Republic defines priority problematic areas concerning the environment in the Czech Republic, formulates strategic and specific objectives based on these areas, and outlines their possible solutions by examples of types of measures whose implementation should lead to effective protection of the environment and its improved condition. This State Environmental Policy (“SEP 2030”) is valid until 2030, with an outlook to 2050. Its main objective is to make maximum efforts and set the direction to fulfil the following vision (for 2050): “The Czech Republic provides its citizens with a safe, healthy and resilient environment, facilitating high-quality standard of life also for the future generations. Society and the economy have adapted to climate change and consume as few non-renewable natural resources and hazardous substances as possible while making extensive use of secondary raw materials and zero-emission energy sources. Sustainable use of the landscape and biodiversity are perceived as one of the pillars of a high quality of life and contribute to the mitigation of climate change effects. The Czech Republic complies with international treaties and contributes to the global protection of the environment and sustainable development.” The topics addressed by this policy are divided into three main areas (Environment and Health, Climate-Neutral and Circular Economy, Nature and Landscape), 10 strategic objectives and 32 specific objectives (an overview is presented below). A vision for 2050 was formulated for each of the three areas.

The Urban and Active Mobility Concept for 2021-2030 was approved by the Czech Government as a strategic document for walking and cycling and as a methodological document for sustainable urban mobility solutions at the local and regional levels.&nbsp;

The National Energy and Climate (ENCP) Plan is a ten-year integrated document mandated by the European Union to each of its member states in order for the EU to meet its overall greenhouse gases emissions targets.   The main part of the National Plan is the setting of the Czech Republic’s contribution to the European climate and energy targets concerning the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the increase in the share of renewable energy sources and increase of energy efficiency. Quantified objectives are provided for in the plan. There are three energy efficiency-related targets for the period 2021–2030: 1) an indicative target for the size of primary energy sources, final consumption and energy intensity; 2) a binding energy savings target for public sector building, 3) a binding year-on-year rate of final consumption savings.  

The Clean Air Act mandates among others minimum biofuel contents for transportation fuels, namely:</div><ul><li>4.1% for gasoline</li><li>6% for diesel</li></ul><div>&nbsp;The Act also allows for transferring any biofuel content exceeding the minimum requirement target in any given year towards fulfilment of the target in the subsequent year (up to 0.2% of the volume requirement).

The Act contains measures to slow-down the further development of energy from renewable sources while still meeting the EU targets for renewable energy under the burden sharing agreement in compliance with the Renewable Energy Directive. The objective is to minimise consumer prices and guarantee a long-term sustainable development of renewable energy sources. It regulates the guarantees of origin for energy from renewable sources, funds to support the market competitiveness of energies from renewable sources by granting subsidies to operators to bridge the cost difference, levy on electricity from solar/PV, and creates market conditions for achieving the national targets on energy from renewable sources under the consideration of customer interests to minimise the economic impacts of support for renewable energies on energy prices. However, the 2013 amendment to the Act limits state support to renewable energy sources to installations commissioned before 31 January 2013 (hydropower generation facilities with capacity up to 10 MW exempt). The Act further introduces a tax levy on subsidised solar power production. Initially (2011) equal to 26% of the feed-in tariff for operators of new installations in operation after 1 January 2009 (exception of rooftop installations up to 30kW), it has been reduced to 10% of the feed-in tariff or 11% of the green bonus received (starting January 2014 and limited to installations commissioned between January-December 2010). Installations with capacity under 30kW are exempt from the levy. The Act also provides for development and biannual update of the National Action Plan for energy from renewable sources. The latest one has been elaborated for the period 2010-2020 and sets a 13% target for renewable energy in gross final consumption by 2020 (base year 2005).

This act as amended notably grants electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles specific license plates (art. 7.b), and obliges manufacturers to label vehicles with the fuel consumption and CO 2 emissions information (art. 28).&nbsp;

<div>The purpose of this law is to implement EU legislation and improve the effectiveness of energy management within the National Programme to Abate Climate Change Impacts in the Czech Republic. This Act dates back to 2000 and has been amended several times. It aims to promote measures that increase energy efficiency, introduce requirements for eco-design and energy-consuming products, as well as provide rules to create a State Programme to Promote Energy Savings and Use of Renewable Energy Sources. It contains a number of strategy documents, which all aim at the reduction of energy consumption and improvement of energy efficiency in different sectors - the State Energy Policy, the State Programme in Support of Energy Savings and the Usage of Renewable Energy Sources. &nbsp; &nbsp;Subsidies are available for energy-saving measures; combined heat and power; modernisation of energy installations; technology/materials supporting energy-saving measures; renewable energy development; recovering energy from municipal waste; improving public awareness for energy efficiency; research and development in energy management, renewable energies and energy efficiency; energy intensity certificates for buildings; support on improved eco-design for small and medium sized companies and other measures such as efficiency of energy use, energy intensity of buildings, combined production of electricity and heat, energy labels, energy audits and eco-design. &nbsp; &nbsp;The 2013 amendment to the Energy Management Act (implementing partially the EU Energy Efficiency Directive) aims to address the increases in energy consumption in the building sector and the high energy intensity of the Czech economy through stricter standards for energy efficiency in the residential sector. These include:</div><ul><li>minimum energy efficiency requirements for new energy or electricity generation facilities;</li><li>regular controls of heat generation and distribution systems (&gt; 20kW), as well as air conditioning systems (&gt; 12 kW);</li><li>minimum energy efficiency requirements for new buildings (from 1 January 2013) and close-to-zero-energy requirements for state-owned buildings (&gt;1500 m2 from 1 January 2016, &gt;350 m2 from 1 January 2017, &lt;350 m2 from 1 January 2018).</li></ul>

This law establishes an integrated system of emergency response and preparedness in Czechia. It requires local governments to receive and process disaster reports, issue alerts, and mobilize emergency response resources. It also requires line ministries to keep records of sector-specific risks and promote disaster risk management in their sectors. It designates the Ministry of the Interior as the lead organization for coordinating national preparedness and response efforts, and to oversee the implementation of the act.

Czechia Biennial Transparency Report. BTR1

Czechia's National Inventory Report submitted in 2023.

Czechia National Communication. NC8; Biennial Report. BR5

Czechia. 2022 National Inventory Report (NIR), National Inventory Report from Czechia in 2022

Czechia. 2021 National Inventory Report (NIR), National Inventory Report from Czechia in 2021

The average year-on-year growth of RES share in heating and cooling is proposed at 1 %.&nbsp;

To reduce the total greenhouse gas emissions by 30 % by 2030 compared to 2005.

Reduce national emissions by 2020 by at least 32 Mt CO2-eq in comparison with 2005  by 2020

Reduce national emissions by 2030 by at least 44 Mt CO2-eq in by 2030 against a 2005 baseline

Pursue the indicative level of 39 Mt CO2-eq of emissions in 2050

Pursue the indicative level of 70 Mt CO2-eq of emissions in 2040 against 2005 levels

47.94 PJ final energy savings (6.85 PJ new savings per year) by 2020 against a 2013 baseline

35% cut in biodegradable landfill waste by 2020 against a 1995 baseline

4.1% of total blended petrol from biofuels, 6.0% of total diesel by 2013

20% transport energy from renewables by 2020

2% reduction of GHG emissions per unit of energy in fuel by 2014, then 3.5% by 2017, then 6% by 2020 compared with a business as usual scenario

Czechia

Documents

Targets (11)

Legislative Process