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Environmental policy of the Czech
Republic
Environmental economy and sustainable development
Dominika Tóthová, d.tothova@mail.muni.cz
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Explanatory notes
• Watch the video
• Explore
• Read and learn
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Structure of the lecture
• Sustainable development principle
• State level
̶ State environmental policy of the Czech Republic
̶ Strategic Framework Czech Republic 2030
̶ Institutions – Ministry of Environment
• Regional and municipal level
̶ Instruments of environmental protection
• legal instruments
• strategic and conceptual documents
• spatial planning
• voluntary instruments: Local Agenda 21, Healthy Cities, EMAS,…
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Sustainable development
•1987: United Nations World Commission for Environment
and Development - Our Common Future:
•Sustainable development:
Development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
own needs.
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Sustainable development
Source: quora.com
Understanding Sustainable
Development in 2 minutes
The Age of Sustainable
Development
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Sustainable development
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The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Agenda 2030
• commitment to eradicate poverty and
achieve sustainable development by 2030
world-wide
• adopted in 2015 by Heads of State and
Government at a special UN summit
• consists of 4 sections:
̶ a political declaration
̶ a set of 17 sustainable Development Goals and 169
targets
̶ means of implementation
̶ a framework for follow up and review of the Agenda
17 sustainable Development Goals
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Background of the Sustainable development goals
video
• consensual framework for sustainable
development
• the main implementation platform of the
Agenda 2030
• starting point for decision-making
• sets out goals and targets to be reached
by 2030
• two major concepts – quality of life and
sustainable development
• new adopted in 2017
Strategic Framework 2030
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Strategic Framework Czech Republic 2030
Priority areas
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Principles of environmental policy
• The precautionary principle
• The prevention principle
• The rectification at source principle
• The polluter pays principle
= the basic document of environmental protection in the CR
• defines a plan for implementing effective environmental protection in the
Czech Republic up to 2030
• The main objective is to:
̶ ensure a healthy and good environment for citizens living in the Czech Republic
̶ significantly contribute to the efficient use of all resources and to minimise the negative
effects of human activities on the environment
̶ include transboundary impacts and thus contribute to improving the quality of life
• Main goals
̶ Environment and Health
̶ Transition to climate neutrality and a circular economy
̶ Nature and landscpae
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State Environmental Policy of the CR
State Environmental Policy up to 2030
• Administrative and legal
̶ acts, degrees, regulations, bans,
restrictions
• Institutional
̶ state institutions
̶ regional instituions
̶ resrach institutions and universities
̶ non-governmental organisations
• Economic
̶ positive
̶ negative
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Instruments of environmental policy in the CR
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Instruments of environmental policy in the CR
• Voluntary
̶ Labelling of environmentally friendly products
̶ Environmental management systems
̶ Responsible public procurement
̶ Ecological governance
̶ Voluntary commitments
• Research and Development
̶ New technologies
̶ Social innovation
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Instruments of environmental policy in the CR
• Environmental education
̶ development of sustainable and environmentally responsible individual behaviour
̶ provision of formal and informal education to children and youth
̶ environmental consulting
̶ supporting civic involvement in environmental issues
• Strategic management
̶ plans, action plans and subordinate strategies
̶ participation!
• International cooperation
̶ multilateral environmental agreements
̶ bilateral environmental agreements
̶ cooperation within the framework of international organizations
• established in 1990
• the central state administrative
authority and supreme inspection
authority in environmental affairs
• co-ordinates the activities of all
Ministries and other central state
administrative authorities of the
Czech Republic in environmental
matters
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Ministry of the Environment
Minister Richard Brabec
Authority in:
• protection of natural water accumulation,
• protection of water resources and the quality of groundwater
and surface water, air protection,
• nature and landscape protection,
• conservation of agricultural land,
• operation of the National Geological Survey,
• protection of the rock environment, including mineral
resources and groundwater,
• geological works and environmental supervision of mining,
• waste management,
• environmental impact assessment of activities and their
consequences, including transboundary,
• gamekeeping, fisheries and forestry in national parks,
• national environmental policy.
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Ministry of the Environment
Ministry of Environment
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Environmental policy at regional and
municipal level
•Independent competences
̶ economic, social and cultural development, protection and
creating a healthy environment with the exception of activities
that are with special laws entrusted to other institutions as a
state agenda
•Delegated competences
̶ state agenda
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Municipalities and regions – Delegated
competences
• municipal office or regional office
• following of laws and other generally binding legal regulations, government
resolutions and directives of central state administration bodies
• Competency:
̶ environmental protection during building-up
̶ environmental impact assessment
̶ water protection and management
̶ air protection
̶ waste management
̶ nature and landscape protection
̶ soil protection
̶ forest protection, hunting and animal protection
̶ protection and utilization of mineral wealth
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Municipalities and regions – Independent
competences
• specific needs with regard to the sustainable development of the territory
• Strategies and programmes:
̶ Region / municipality development program
̶ Spatial plan, Regulatory plan
̶ Emission reduction program
̶ Air quality improvement program
̶ Environmental education concept
̶ Concept of transport infrastructure development
̶ Waste management concept
̶ Nature and landscape protection concept
̶ Concept of bicycle development
̶ Sustainable development strategy of the territory
̶ Tourism development program
̶ and more!
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Activities of territorial self-government units in the field of
environment - Independent competences
• coordinate, analyze and evaluate the level of development of its territory and its parts
• approve the program of territory development, planning documentation and other strategic documents
• submit bills to the Chamber of Deputies
• submit a motion to the Constitutional Court to annul the legislation, if they consider that it is in conflict with the law
• cooperate with the other self-government units around common goals and tasks of regional development and
environmental protection
• determine the scope of the basic transport accessibility in the area
• issue opinions to the plans, which may significantly affect the elements of the environment and regional development
• cooperate in creation and using of the system of basic knowledge about the environment and its protection based on
the principles of sustainable development
• cooperate in active forms of education and obtaining information about the environment and its protection organized
by governmental and non-governmental organizations
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Activities of territorial self-government units in the field of environment Independent
competences
• secure access to environmental information
• pool their resources with other self-government units and other legal entities in ensuring of the joint development
programs – subject of activity may be environmental protection
• support the development of activities necessary for the regional development, including organizations involved in
environmental protection
• support the development of private enterprises beneficial to the area, including the field of environmental protection
• appropriate from the budget funds intended for troubleshooting and weaknesses in the areas falling within its
competence
• participate in the tasks relating to support of regional development and environmental protection, and cooperate with
the competent authorities
• can issue generally binding decree to protect the environment
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Regional and municipal level - instruments
of environmental protection
• legal instruments
• strategic and conceptual documents
• spatial planning
• other instruments
̶ Local Agenda 21,
̶ Healthy Cities of The Czech republic
̶ Eco Management and Audit Scheme
̶ Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy
̶ …..
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Local government - instruments of
environmental protection
Legal instruments
• performance of state administration
̶ legal acts of state public administration
̶ Implementetion of legislation
̶ delageted compentences: regulations
• performance of independent competences
̶ independent competences: generally binding decrees
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Local government - instruments of
environmental protection
Spatial planning
• aims of spatial planning:
̶ improvement of living conditions
̶ responsible use of natural resources and environmental protection
̶ rational land use
• instruments of spatial planning:
̶ Region: Principles of Territorial Development
̶ Municipality: Spatial plan, Regulatory plan
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Local Agenda 21
• a voluntary tool for regions and municipaltites for implementing sustainable
development at local level
• Aims:
̶ to integrate the social, environmental and economic aspects of development
̶ to increase the standard of living
̶ to involve local people and communities in the design of a way of life that can be sustained
and thus protect the quality of life for future generations
• the main role plays local government
• Why ,,Local Agenda 21“?
Local Agenda 21
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Activities of Local Agenda 21
RECONSTRUCTION
OF MONUMENTS
LANDSCAPE
CARE
PRESERVING
TRADITIONS
ECOLOGICAL
HEATING
SUSTAINABLE
TOURISM
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
SYSTEMS FOR BUSINESSES
Candidates
̶ 3 criteria - formal
Group D
̶ organizational structure
̶ active public participation in planning and decision-making
̶ presentation of activities and outputs LA 21
̶ The partnership of public administration, citizens and business
sector
Group C
̶ official organ of self-government
̶ officially approved document to the LA 21
̶ education for sustainable development
̶ monitoring and evaluation process of LA 21
̶ financial support of activities LA 21
̶ Regular public forum of sustainable development and LA21
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Criterions of Local Agenda 21 for municipality
Group B
̶ Sustainable Development Strategy of the town / municipality or a
strategic development plan for the city / municipality respecting the
principles of sustainable development
̶ the existence of sub-concepts
̶ systematic financial support from the government
̶ obtaining external resources
̶ determination and monitoring of ndicators
̶ monitoring internationally standardized indicators
̶ Certified training coordinator
̶ exchange of experience in the practice of LA 21
Group A
̶ official organ of the government to maintain the state of sustainable
development
̶ Quality Management in Public Administration (ISO, CAF, EMS,
EMAS)
̶ practical application of the principles of sustainable development
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Overview of LA 21 in the CR – municipalities 2020
Source: www.ma21.cenia.cz
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Overview of LA 21 in the CR – regions 2020
Source: www.ma21.cenia.cz
• health and well-being of
people
• opinions of inhabitants
• pursues sustainable
development
• Focus:
̶ condition of the environment
̶ lifestyle of people
̶ responsibility to future generations
̶ development in the social and economic
areas
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Healthy Cities of the Czech Republic
Towards making every city a healthy city
Healthy Cities
Healthy Cities of the CR
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Healthy Cities Visions
Heatlhy Cities Visions
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Healthy Cities membership
Source: www.healtycities.cz
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Example of good practises
Healthy Cities and Local Agenda 21
• Chrudim
• Křižánky
• Litoměřice
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Gallery of sustainable development
̶ Examples of good practise
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Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS)
• Environmental management instrument developed by the
European Commission for companies and other organisations to
evaluate, report, and improve their environmental performance
• enables organizations to assess, manage and continuously
improve their environmental performance
• Aims:
̶ improve its environmental and financial performance
̶ communicate its environmental achievements to stakeholders and society in general
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Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS)
̶ voluntary instrument
̶ for subjects of private and public sector
̶ Environmental statement
̶ What does it mean in practise?
̶ integrating care for the environment to the strategies
̶ integration care for the environment to day-to-day operations
̶ Scope
̶ e. g. operation of buildings, administrative decision-making, spatial planning, use of
suppliers, cooperation with the public and municipalities.
Chrudim
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EMAS x ISO 14 001
Main elements:
• Performance
̶ EMAS supports organisations in finding the right tools to
improve their environmental performance. Participating
organisations voluntarily commit to both evaluating and
reducing their environmental impact.
• Credibility
̶ Third party verification guarantees the external and
independent nature of the EMAS registration process.
• Transparency
̶ Providing publicly available information on an organisation’s
environmental performance is an important aspect of EMAS.
Organisations achieve greater transparency both externally
through the environmental statement and internally through
employees' active involvement.
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Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS)
• Public sector
• Small and medium sized
enterprises
• Service sector
• Financial sector
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Who can participate in EMAS?
EMAS Case study
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EMAS implementation
https://ec.europa.eu/environment/emas/join_emas/how_does_it_work_step0_en.htm
• management improvement
• environmental benefits
• economic benefits
• benefits for employees
• image improvement
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Benefits from EMAS
EMAS in Europe
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Green Public Procurement
̶ opportunity to influence the market with regard to priorities in
environmental protection
̶ Rules for the Application of Environmental Requirements:
̶ computer technology
̶ office equipment
̶ office paper
̶ operation of buildings
̶ lighting
̶ furniture
̶ cleaning products and cleaning services
̶ refreshments
̶ passenger vehicles
̶ use of secondary materials
Good Practise in the CR
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Covenant of Mayors
̶ Implementation of EU climate and
energy objectives at regional and
local level
̶ Objectives:
̶ reducing CO2 emissions,
̶ increasing their resistance to climate change
̶ ensuring access to sustainable, secure and affordable energy to
all
̶ Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan
̶ political commitment into practise
̶ key actions
Good Practise
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Covenant of Mayors - Signatories
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