The Czech Republic’s Coal Commission has recommended a coal phase-out by 2038 also calling for the Commission on Decarbonisation to continue its work to elaborate and evaluate in more detail the conditions, tools and impacts of coal decline in the domestic energy sector.
“It is a balanced compromise, the government respects its [the Commission’s] recommendations and resolutions, which state that 2038 is realistic, but further steps need to be taken such as building new resources and periodic evaluation of socio-economic impacts,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček.
According to the Coal Commission, an advisory body to the government established a year ago to set out an exit date for coal production, 355 billion crowns (approximately 14 billion euro) will be invested in new resources by 2050.
The proposal to phase out coal by 2038 was first made by the Commission last December, together with other two deadlines for an earlier (2033) and later (2043) coal exit as well.
Coal and lignite provided 43 per cent of gross electricity production in the Czech Republic in 2019. As the largest source of carbon emissions, coal production pose a substantial threat to local air quality. Besides, the Czech Republic exports coal-generated electricity, amounting to 13 terawatts-hour (TWh) last year.
