The Recovery Tour in the Czech Republic was held in 8 cities between 6th of May and 15th of November 2022. The panels were organised in Opava, Olomuc, Brno, Hradec Králové, Liberec, Usti Nad Labem, Plzeñ and Prague.
Panels covered topics closely linked to post-pandemic recovery in Europe and the Czech Republic through the lens of energy, due to Putin’s aggressive war in Ukraine and its consequences.
Putin’s attack on Ukraine has shaken the global security architecture and exacerbated existing vulnerabilities in our energy policy. In this time of uncertainty, we need to show that Green solutions are the answer to a just and sustainable future. Only through measures like the Recovery and Resilience Fund we can ensure that all member states get enough support in both rebuilding their economies and foraging a green path forward.
We hosted national and European parliamentarians, EGP committee members, academic representatives, NGOs and civil society.
Opava, 6 May – Energy for Green Cities
During this event, we looked at how cities can reduce their dependence on Russian gas while building towards a greener future. In order to find efficient solutions, we analysed the European Union’s tools to control energy prices and decarbonise the energy sector, as well as discuss other possible next steps. We discussed the strengths and weaknesses in the current European approach to the crisis. We also spoke about whether we need additional recovery resources to speed up a clean energy transition and energy independence.
Panelists:
- Heike Leberle (Energy Policy Advisor Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament)
- Petr Chroust (Director of MAS Opavsko, Local Energy Community)
- Jan Veleba (SEVEn, the Energy Efficiency Center)
Olomuc, 12 May – Energy Efficiency
The topic of energy efficiency has been crucial in political and public discourse in the Czech Republic. At this event, we discussed the current state of energy efficiency and the potential for energy saving and insulation. We exchanged on how to obtain subsidies from Czech and European sources for the necessary investments in insulation and renewables and if there should be more resources like the Recovery and Resilience fund available.
Panelists:
- Catherine Olier (Team leader – Ecological Transition, Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament)
- Petr Holub – (Budovy21, Energy Savings Expert)
- Jan Veleba (SEVEn, the Energy Efficiency Center)
Brno, 17 May – Green Energy in Austria
Recently high energy prices and gas dependence on Russia are the main topic of political and public discourse in the Czech Republic. As an inspiration looked at why the Austrian decarbonising process has been so successful and how Austria is helping its citizens generate their own energy. We also discussed how they are utilising their RRF funds. We believe that their solutions can be an inspiration for our energy policy and show us a path to unlocking the full potential of renewable energy.
Panelists:
- Bettina Bergauer (The Climate Alliance Lower Austria chairperson, local councillor from Deutsch-Wagram, Austrian greens)
- Laura Otýpková (Frank Bold society, environmental lawyer)
Hradec Králové, 24 May – Security and it’s energy footprint
Differences in the dependency on Russian gas between eastern and western countries of the EU is an important issue that we have to overcome. Discussing the Czech Republic’s potential for getting renewable energy will help us understand what we should do next in order to create a new sustainable energy system for this country. We need a system which will not only ensure that all energy needs of citizens are met but one that will be safe from threats. Can we ensure a creation of a safe energy system, or will we require a new RRF-like fund which will only focus on energy security?
Speakers:
- Catherine Olier (Team leader – Ecological Transition, Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament)
- Jan Palaščák (Energy Entrepreneur & Founder of co2in.com)
- Jan Veleb (SEVEn, the Energy Efficiency Center)
Liberec, 30 May – Green Transition in Poland wind and solar
Both Poland and the Czech Republic are much more dependent on Russian fossil fuels than most other member states. We discussed how comparable the current situation of both countries is and what are some good examples of steps we could take to reduce dependency while working towards renewable energy. Finally, we explored what role the recovery plan and resources from the RRF in the energy sector could play.
Speakers:
- Małgorzata Tracz (Member of Polish Parlament, former Co-Chair of the Polish Greens)
- Jan Stárek (energy consultant)
- Jan Veleba (SEVEn, the Energy Efficiency Center)
Usti Nad Labem, 8 June – Green Transition in Saxony
Both local and European levels are crucial for tackling high energy prices and energy security in a climate-friendly manner. Cities should play an important role during the implementation of all measures both on their own energy needs (for schools, offices, hospitals or social care) and for households. The European level is here to provide adequate funding for such investments, and also to share knowledge and best practices. We shared our experiences on what the general strategies the Greens should take in the upcoming months to lower dependency on Russian gas and oil?
Speakers:
- Patrick Schönknecht (Climate and Energy Policy Expert of the Greens in Saxony)
- Mikuláš Černík (Expert on Climate Justice and Social-Ecological Transformation, re-set.cz platform)
Plzeñ, 15 June – Independency of Russian Fossil Fuels
In April, the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament called for an embargo on all imports of Russian fossil fuels. We discussed how this can impact our energy policy, and the stability of our energy in the European Union as well as in the Czech Republic.
Speakers:
- Viola Von Cramon-Taubadel (Member of the European Parliament)
- Jan Habart (Chairman of CZ Biom - Czech Biomass Association)
- Magdalena Davis (co-chair of Czech greens and mayor of Mnisek pod Brdy)
Prague, 15 November – Mayors of Green cities, what does it mean for citizens?
Event in Prague was the conclusion of the Czech recovery tour. Topic of the Mini-conference was connected to the deployment of renewables, both for municipal use and for residenial buildings, and on current status of legislative in the Czech republic, possible sources of money for such investments from EU, including RRF, and exchange of experiences with guests - deputy mayors from Prague, Budapest and Erd.
Speakers:
- Örs Tetlák, deputy mayor of Erd, Hungary
- Szilvia Temesvári, deputy mayor of Budapest’s district 6, Hungary
- Ondřej Rut, deputy mayor of Prague 3
- Michal Berg, local councillor Vsetín
- Jaroslav Klusák, Prague community for renewables director (PSOE)
- Eliška Beranová, Frank Bold society
