Europeum

Aktuálně.cz | Fragmented Czech Regions Need Reform

June 25, 2024

In the autumn, regional council elections will be held. The existence of 14 regions in the Czech Republic, however, does not have a long tradition – they were only established in 2000, partly due to the anticipated entry into the European Union. This arrangement is now heavily criticized for their fragmentation, low and duplicative administrative capacities, and the associated negative impacts on the state budget. Klára Votavová, a researcher at EUROPEUM Institute, presents in her commentary on research on the capacities of the state and regions to draw from the Just Transition Fund, using the examples of the Karlovy Vary and Moravian-Silesian regions.

Analysis | Conditions for Regional Preparedness to Draw on the Just Transition Fund

June 18, 2024

Through interviews with officials and other relevant actors at national and regional level, this research report identifies conditions for regional preparedness to draw on the Just Transition Fund. Researcher at EUROPEUM Institute Klára Votavová compares the situation in two of the three Czech regions that are drawing on the Fund: Moravian-Silesian and Karlovy Vary Region.

Analysis | Can the Czech state distribute the just transition fund? Analysis of its capacities at the national level

April 26, 2024

The aim of this research report is to determine, through interviews with officials and other relevant stakeholders, whether the Czech public administration has sufficient capacity and organisational capability to effectively draw down funds from the Just Transition Fund. The author of the publication is Klára Votavová, researcher at EUROPEUM Institute.

Hospodářské noviny | More than five million people will need to be retrained in the Czech Republic by 2030. Car industry will mainly face the problems

April 15, 2024

The Czech car industry is lagging behind the rest of Europe and the world. It may not be able to pick what to produce, but it has the opportunity to strengthen its competitiveness and resilience. However, it needs trained and educated employees, which are hard to find on the local labour market. So are we going to train the automotive workforce, strengthen the position of our strategic sector and promote a just transformation? Or are we going to continue to say that the transition to electric mobility does not concern us and that the Green Deal for Europe is to blame for increased unemployment? How to produce electric cars and remain competitive? Rebeka Hengalová, a researcher at EUROPEUM Institute, discusses this topic in her article for economic daily Hospodářské noviny.

Euractiv | Special EU fund for coal regions looks good but is costly

February 20, 2024

Establishing a new European fund to support coal regions may be perceived as a positive political step towards affected areas. However, the management of this fund poses challenges, not only in terms of finances but also in terms of personnel and time constraints, which could jeopardize its effective utilization. This conclusion arises from consultations with representatives of public administration and relevant regions and from their analysis conducted by Klára Votavová, member of research team at EUROPEUM.

BLOG | Tlak na dekarbonizaci v ČR roste. Jak moc je větrná energie výhodná pro Česko?

December 25, 2023

Uhlí bylo a je po desítky let důležitou součástí české ekonomiky. Jako fosilní palivo je však významným producentem skleníkových plynů, zejména CO2. Jaké výhody by přinesla dekarbonizace a přechod na větrnou energii píší ve svém blogu náš výzkumný pracovník Jonathan Lyons a seniorní výzkumná pracovnice Kateřina Davidová.

Policy Paper | Overcoming barriers to unlock potential for a Just Transition in Czechia

November 28, 2023

The energy transition focuses on the swift and full decarbonization of our economies by moving away from fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and oil towards carbon-free and preferably renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, geothermal, bioenergy and hydropower. The global community agreed to limiting the global average temperature to 1.5C to prevent worsening of potentially irreversible effects of climate change. Writes Jonathan Lyons.

Policy Paper | Překonání překážek pro uvolnění potenciálu spravedlivého přechodu v Česku

November 28, 2023

Energetický přechod se zaměřuje na rychlou a úplnou dekarbonizaci našich ekonomik odklonem od fosilních paliv, jako je uhlí, zemní plyn a ropa, směrem k bezuhlíkovým a pokud možno obnovitelným zdrojům energie, jako je větrná, solární, geotermální, bioenergie a vodní energie. Světové společenství se dohodlo na omezení průměrné globální teploty na 1,5C, aby se zabránilo zhoršení potenciálně nevratných dopadů změny klimatu. Píše Jonathan Lyons.

Respekt | It is absurd that states continue to subsidise fossil fuels and create a distorted market

December 07, 2023

In a podcast from the weekly magazine Respekt our senior researcher Kateřina Davidová evaluated the ongoing UN COP28 conference in Dubai and discussed the paradoxical subsidization of fossil fuels in the Czech Republic and the search for a socially just transition to renewable energies.

Third year | Decarbonisation of the Czech automotive industry

May 16, 2023

The climate team of EUROPEUM is currently delivering the 3rd year of its project focused on the decarbonisation of the automotive industry in the Czech Republic. We want to build upon our experience and move this work forward with a more targeted approach. We will focus on three main areas, which we have identified as crucial parts of the puzzle for transitioning to cleaner modes of transport.