The 2010 review of the energy policies of the Czech Republic formulates recommendations to improve energy security, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance economic development.
7 October 2010: The International Energy Agency (IEA) has released the latest in its series of policy reviews, “Energy Policies of IEA Countries – Czech Republic 2010 Review,” which contains sections on energy framework policies, sectoral policies and energy technologies.
The IEA report welcomes important advances made to enhance oil and gas security in the Czech Republic, which lies at the core of its national energy policies due to geo-political difficulties in securing supply in recent years. The report notes, however, that this has drawn attention away from environmental issues, noting that carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP in the Czech Republic are the second highest among IEA countries after Australia. The report underlines that improving energy efficiency will be the single most important avenue to reduce emissions in the near term. Commenting on the Czech Republic’s draft State Energy Concept and draft Climate Protection Policy at the launch of the IEA report in Prague, Czech Republic, IEA Executive Director Nobuo Tanaka stated that “the Government has a unique opportunity to develop coherent and balanced energy and climate strategies.”
The report further recommends that to improve energy security, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and enhance economic development, the Czech Republic should: broaden demand-side measures; focus on low-carbon technologies; integrate electricity and natural gas markets regionally; and optimize new infrastructure. [IEA Press Release] [Publication Webpage] [Executive Summary]