Frequently Asked Questions

The costs of actions involved in the Climate Plan will be covered by the municipal budget in combination with external funding. The Prague City Council intends to allocate an estimated amount of 1-1.5 billion annually for these purposes. Prague's involvement in subsidy programmes and a thorough exploration of other external funding opportunities is absolutely crucial for the successful implementation of the Climate Plan. It is not the aim of the city's leadership to cripple the normal operations of the city budget in any way, particularly at a time of the global COVID-19 pandemic when it is experiencing unprecedented strain. The agenda of the Climate Plan is predicted, which determines its mechanisms of operation. It is also important to recognise the benefits that the implementation of the individual actions will have in terms of energy savings and their returns.

We will achieve climate neutrality by 2050 with the help of a coherent strategic approach that responds to the latest climate change challenges. Based on this strategy, we created a set of measures divided into four main sectors - sustainable energy and buildings, circular economy, sustainable mobility, and adaptation. Each of these pillars focuses on a different issue, ranging from energy supply and carbon footprint monitoring, to measures in sustainable mobility, raising public awareness of recycling opportunities, and revitalising urban green spaces. Prague's ambition is to become an environmentally friendly metropolis and an attractive place to live.

The implementation of the Climate Plan and its projects will be monitored according to a set schedule and evaluated based on predetermined objective criteria. The public will be able to find all the latest information, as well as the status of individual projects via the website. The main goal is to monitor the impact of individual measures after their implementation and assess how they are performing. The aim is to identify critical points and to ensure that they do not happen again with follow-up projects. In this way, lessons learned can be shared with all stakeholders and the public.

In recent years, Prague was plagued by a negative atmosphere characterised by pressure put on external bodies to draw on the resources of the Innovation Fund and implement their own projects. Instead, a comprehensive approach has now been taken, initiated and supported by the City Hall. This is not a ground-breaking project within the European Union - the formation of energy teams within local governments and close cooperation with scientific institutions is the standard for regional policy in the 21st century. In view of the adoption of the European commitment to reduce CO2 emissions, Prague has now decided to implement it. The main motivation behind this decision is a continuous improvement in the quality of life in the city. The aim of the measures are substantial energy savings, which will also make it possible to reduce the cost of living for residents. Last but not least, the Climate Plan is a necessary strategy in terms of meeting the objectives set out in the European Commission's Green Deal for Europe programme (https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en).

Prague is not the only city that wants to reduce CO2 emissions by 45% before 2030. Many other cities have already made the same commitment in the past. These include more than two dozen other world capitals such as Amsterdam, London, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Stockholm, New York, San Francisco, Washington D.C., and others. The goal of the metropolis is to establish partnerships with cities that are already implementing a similar strategy. At the same time, Prague is seeking to arrange informal meetings, as has already been successfully done with Berlin, and further meetings are planned with Copenhagen and London. The second aspect of cooperation is to establish strategic partnerships with global corporations such as Vodafone, Nestlé, ING, and others, which may implement some of the measures in their own environmentally friendly production.

We strongly wish to preserve the integrity of Prague as we know it. The historic city core of 866 hectares has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for more than a quarter of a century. That is why we insist on the formulation and adoption of only those measures which respect the unique features of the local area and do not in any way disturb the architectural character of buildings. Any action will always be carefully consulted with heritage professionals, architects, and other experts.

The city is able to move away from dependence on external energy suppliers by using its own primary energy sources, through extensive heat and electricity savings, or by switching to renewable energy sources. Although this objective is ambitious, it will mainly benefit the citizens of the metropolis, who will be able make decisions regarding the nature of the energy mix they use and will also profit from financial savings in the future. Whether it is insulation systems and the installation of new windows or the opportunity to install green roofs, such projects and many others can reduce the sector's overall energy consumption by almost 10%, which would equate to a reduction in the carbon footprint of around 0.5 million tonnes per year. Such prospects are therefore well worth it.

Mobility is a major pollutant in Prague. This relates not only to CO2, but also to particles, which contain nitrogen oxides, aromatic hydrocarbons, and other substances which significantly contribute to air pollution. On the other hand, we are aware that convenient modes of transport around the capital are absolutely essential for residents. That is why we also plan to make permanent changes in public transport. Although we can already transport 3.5 million passengers a day, we intend to increase the capacity, attractiveness, and accessibility of public transport considerably. The fleet of vehicles used for these purposes will soon be replaced with low-emission alternatives. At the same time, we will build bicycle path infrastructure, following the example of Copenhagen, London, and Vienna, to increase the popularity of zero-emission transport. We want to attract up to 7% of Prague residents to regularly cycle to work during the summer months. However, the world is also moving towards electromobility, which requires sufficient coverage of the capital with charging stations.

The circular economy is closest to the people, and that is its main advantage. Everyone produces waste daily and while it is true that the best waste is waste that is not generated at all, the efforts of an individual can make a significant contribution to a gradual change in the mindset of a large part of the population. Borrowing a classic quote, one small step for an individual can turn into an ecological leap for humanity in the future. If we approach recycling responsibly, the planet will thank us for it. But the circular economy is not just about waste and sorting; its principles are much broader than that. Before throwing something away, it is important to think about whether it can be repaired, replaced, or donated. And if I do decide to buy something new, I can consider buying second-hand, which helps both my wallet and the environment. There is no concept of waste in nature. Let’s take inspiration from the natural life cycle too and change the way we think and live before it becomes too late.

Prague committed to planting one million trees between 2018 and 2026. The aim of the project is not to mindlessly plant new trees throughout the city at the expense of older ones. In consultation with experts, we are placing greenery where it makes sense. Some trees are simply not suited to the city, and even for those that are, we need to choose placements where they can thrive best. Tree planting proposals, and their following care must always be in accordance with the Prague Tree Planting Action Plan, the Standards for Planting of Tree Alleys that are being developed as part of the Implementation Plan at IPR Prague, the Rainwater Management Standards, and other relevant City of Prague methodologies. This is not to say that we are neglecting older trees. We want to motivate citizens to take care of the greenery around their homes. Diseased or damaged trees sometimes need to be cut down, following the conclusions of a dendrological assessment, so that they do not endanger citizens or cause other damage by falling. Such is the cycle of life.

All new adaptation steps are based on a well-thought-out process of monitoring, which creates helpful tools for finding the best possible solution. In the same way, we want to approach spatial planning and public procurement, where all the technical requirements will be unified. Private entities and construction companies should already be thinking about the implementation of the Adaptation Strategy during the planning process. We will therefore approach any new tenders more responsibly with caution. The aim should not be to build, construct, and create at the lowest possible price but to pay attention to the meaningfulness and quality of work, which align with the new Prague vision.