Prague’s climate plan: It will be reduced by 45% by 2030
Plans on how to gradually reduce the amount of emissions produced in the capital by 2030, spoke at Tuesday’s online seminar Chairman of the Council Commission m of Prague for Sustainable Energy and Climate and also former Minister of the Environment Martin Bursík. He has been working on a plan to bring Prague to carbon neutrality by 2050 since 2019. He spoke, among other things, that these goals can be achieved thanks to subsidies in the order of billions of crowns from the EU. “Climate action is an opportunity, not a threat,” he noted.
People can even save
According to Bursík, dependence on fossil fuels such as coal or natural gas can also be freed from the economically advantageous, because fuel prices can rise and fall in various ways, which has also caused the last wave of rising prices. “Untying citizens and businesses from every kilowatt hour that is made from fossil fuels not only protects the climate, but also protects against overpriced energy. “ he said.
Carbon budget
The extensive material prepared by the commission and its working groups calculates, among other things, the “carbon budget” of the capital. Between 2011 and 2050, about 180 tonnes of CO2 should be produced here. So far, about 80-85 million tonnes have been released into the atmosphere, by 2050, therefore, about one hundred tonnes of emissions remain.
At present, Prague has 8.8 million tons of CO ročně per year and it is expected that by 2030 it should be about 45% less, which is about 4 million tons of pollutants. So where should the most “savings” in the carbon budget?
climatic the plan envisages dozens of different projects from which these savings are to consist. By far the most emissions come from “imports” of electricity and heat, which generate almost 60 percent of all emissions. The carbon footprint is fundamentally determined by what the energy comes from, because, for example, heat is also supplied to Prague from the coal-fired power plant in Mělník.
Planned development of Prague’s carbon footprint
Author: Climate plan of the capital m of Prague by 2030
The biggest savings in CO množství emissions should therefore come mainly from use of renewable resources for example, through the installation of photovoltaic panels, coal-fired power plants are expected to be phased out throughout the country, making electricity increasingly “cleaner”.
Biowaste gas trucks
Many projects also concern transport, for example electrification of shipping or waste collection. Waste trucks could also use so-called biogas produced at the planned station, which will further process biodegradable household waste. All these components are therefore interconnected, so a significant development of classification is also expected.
It can’t do without tolls
Bursik also noted that One of the ways to reduce CO2 emissions in the city is the much politically sensitive issue of introducing a toll system, which the commission council of the capital. the city has already recommended. “I don’t think Prague can do without it and there are several options,” he said. I acknowledge, but not only tolls will be one of the politicians’ rather complex topics. The introduction of the toll is one of the topics that the opposition has been criticizing for a long time, although the current municipal coalition has stated that it will not be introduced yet.
Prague suffered from smog mainly in 2015 and 2017. (illustration photo)
Author: Blesk: Martin Přibyl CNC