Information on national adaptation actions reported under the Governance Regulation
Reporting updated until: 2023-03-15
Item | Status | Links |
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National Adaptation Strategy (NAS) |
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National Adaptation Plan (NAP) |
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Climate Risk Assessment (CRA) |
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Meteorological observations |
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Climate projections and services |
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Adaptation portals and platforms |
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Monitoring, reporting and evaluation (MRE) indicators and methodologies |
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Key reports and publications |
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National communication to the UNFCCC | ||
Governance regulation adaptation reporting |
Average annual temperature fluctuates depending on geographic factors between 1.1 to 9.7°C. The lowest temperature averages are recorded in mountainous regions along the northern, eastern and south-western borders. The warmest regions lie in altitudes not exceeding 200m (lowlands in southeast and along the Elbe River). Prague and Brno, representing bigger cities, are specific, as within its heat island the average annual temperature is higher by approximately 1 to 2°C above the normal value or its geographic location.
The short-term estimation (2030) shows that the average annual air temperature in the Czech Republic will increase, according to the ALADIN-CLIMATE/CZ model, approximately by 1°C (in comparison with period 1981-2010); warming up in the summer and winter is only slightly less than in the spring and autumn (https://www.chmi.cz/historicka-data/pocasi/zmena-klimatu/). The medium-term estimation (2050) shows that the simulated warming becomes more significant - temperature will rise the most in the summer (by 2.7 °C), least in the winter (by 1.8 °C). Fluctuation of average daily temperature over the last 160 years in the Czech Republic indicates that there is an incremental growth of the temperatures; between 1861 and 1910 the average daily temperature in the Czech Republic was 9.1 °C, between 1911 and 1960 it was 9.6 °C and between 1961 and 2020 it was 10.7 °C.
Total precipitation changes are more complex (https://www.chmi.cz/historicka-data/pocasi/zmena-klimatu). Most nodal points in winter show in simulation decrease of precipitation (depending on specific location by up to 20 %), while in the spring the same show increase (by 2 to approximately 16 %); in the summer and especially in the autumn the situation varies place to place (some locations show slight decrease by several per cent in the autumn, while elsewhere an increase by up to 20–26 %, in the summer slight decrease prevails, but in some locations (for instance in Western Bohemia) there is an increase by up to 10 %). At the same time, there is an apparent spatial variability of these changes, so it is possible that eventual climate signal may be, in this short timeframe, drowned out by natural (year-on-year) fluctuation of precipitation totals. Between the beginning of autumn until the beginning of the summer the anticipated increase of precipitation is accompanied by identical increase in territorial evapotranspiration caused by increased temperature. In the summer, there is a decrease in precipitation and due to a drop-in water reserves in the soil, this will probably not lead to a significant increase in territorial evapotranspiration. An important factor is a shift in snow cover melt in higher altitudes due to higher temperature, roughly from April to January / February. The fluctuations of precipitations amount on year-on-year basis are very high. Since the beginning of measuring the annual precipitation in 1804 at the Prague-Klementinum meteorological station, there is an indistinctive trend of decreasing precipitation since the thirties of 20th century (https://www.chmi.cz/[…]/praha-klementinum).
Considering the weak signal of anticipated change in relative humidity and with regard to the fact that measured relative humidity values have not changed between 1961 and 2000, we use the measured value from the reference period to estimate these impacts. Simulated changes in seasonal daily averages of global radiation are most apparent in the winter (exceeding 10 %), in other seasons they range in most locations below 4 %, however in comparison with model errors the change in global radiation is small. Same recommendation remains therefore in place for application of these sets as for relative humidity. The medium-term perspective makes winter decrease in precipitation more apparent (for instance in Krkonoše, Ceskomoravská Vysocina, Beskydy by up to 20 %) and their increase in the autumn. During the summer, the decrease in precipitation becomes dominant factor, which will be even more significant in long-term horizon, while decrease of winter precipitation will be lower in comparison with the preceding period.
Changes in relative humidity are small – in the winter below 5 %, summer 5–10 % and at the end of the 21st century this may become up to 15 % (in parts of Central Bohemia, Vysocina). This finding is in line with the anticipated increase of air temperature and decrease in precipitation amount (https://www.chmi.cz/historicka-data).
The NAP outlines health adaptation measures, including ensuring adequate medical infrastructure for epidemic emergencies, implementing early warning systems for water- and vector-borne diseases; and providing information to strengthen decision-making around health risk situations.
There have been carried out several studies, for example the Charles University study aimed at effects of sudden air temperature and pressure changes on mortality in the Czech Republic.. Increase of mortality was found after significant temperature increase or pressure drop both in summer and winter month. Decrease of mortality occurred after significant pressure increase or temperature drop in summer. Mortality variations are usually more pronounced for population aged 70 years or more, and sudden temperature changes affect mortality on cardiovascular diseases more strongly. Changes in mortality were also found after passages of cold fronts in summer. As regards the future health risks, population exposure to heat stress is likely to rise due to increased urbanisation and climate change increasing the likelihood of severe heat waves.
Climate change increases the risk of flooding as extreme heavy rainfall and storm events become more likely. Flooding can affect water, sanitation and water infrastructure and services, contaminate water with fecal bacteria (eg. E. Coli) from run-off or sewer overflow. Increasing temperatures and precipitation can also lead to water contaminated with eg. algae blooms. Water safety and security problems can result in water-borne diseases, noncommunicable diseases and injury and mortality.
In 2018 the Czech Republic has reported the most confirmed tick-borne encephalitis cases in the EU. The distribution and vectorial capacity of disease vectors is expected to alter with climate change. As a result, population exposure to vector-borne diseases could change. Populations previously not exposed to certain vector-borne diseases could be increasingly exposed in future, as rising global temperatures shift the distribution of vectors.
Most goods are shipped by trucks and the road transport is also by far the most prevalent mode of passenger transport. Due to its position in the centre of Europe and dense network of transport routes, the Czech Republic is also a major transit corridor for the EU. Large part of the transport infrastructure is quite old and fast transport connection between some major cities and neighbouring countries is lacking. Significant investments in the development of transport infrastructure are planned for the next few years and they need to be climate proofed. The Czech Republic also has one of the densest railroad networks in the EU which is also negatively affected by the increased occurrence of extreme weather events. The air travel is almost exclusively used for international transport only and waterborne transport also does not play a significant role in the Czech Republic.
The expected changes in hydrological cycle and occurrence of extreme weather events could also damage the water and wastewater infrastructure and are already causing decline in hydropower production. The telecommunication network is also at increased risk. The Czech Republic has adopted strategies, plans and measures for protection of the critical infrastructure. The NAP also outlines measures for all the abovementioned risks.
The CHMI is the supreme coordinator of the National Inventory System (NIS) for greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions (https://www.chmi.cz/[…]/nis_uv_aj.html). International conventions adopted to control emissions of GHG require unified, transparent, and verifiable way of greenhouse gas inventories.
Methodology of national GHG inventory is stipulated by international agreements mentioned above. National GHG inventory should be neither overestimated, nor underestimated and it must not be influenced by measurement uncertainty as far as possible. Delegation of responsibilities on institutions involved in compiling GHG inventories is one of the main pillars of the NIS. The main roles and obligations of the CHMI are as follows: inventory management, general and cross-cutting issues, QA/QC, annual reporting (Common Reporting Format, CRF), preparation and submission of National Inventory Report (NIR), liaison with the relevant UN FCCC and EU bodies, etc. Sectoral inventories are prepared by specialized institutions (sectoral compilers), that are supervised by the CHMI.
The very last regional scenarios according to solely A1B emission scenario have been prepared in the Czech Republic in 2010. This is no longer sufficient, that is why we use EURO-CORDEX (www.euro-cordex.net) outputs in the Czech Republic today, using so-called RCP emission scenarios (Representative Concentration Pathways). RCP2.6 represents relatively the most appropriate climate development for the implementation of the Paris Agreement. On the contrary, in the short term, the development of emissions under RCP8.5 cannot be ruled out, and its inclusion has been driven by an effort to point out the benefits of mitigation measures as well as for the climate change effects in the Czech Republic. In line with the current commitments of the Paris Agreement Parties, we consider it realistic to expect the development of emissions under scenario RCP4.5. Most outputs in the Czech Republic are therefore prepared for RCP4.5 and RCP8.5.
To explore the future climate, we use the latest regional climate models (RCMs) currently based on the CORDEX initiative (part of WCRP, http://www.wcrp-climate.org/). The CORDEX project (http://wcrp-cordex.ipsl.jussieu.fr/) is currently the most important research in the field of regional modelling. A part of the project dealing with the European region is called EURO-CORDEX. The results of the EURO-CORDEX regional modelling have been used as an input for a studying climate change and its impacts, including adaptation measures in the IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report. EURO-CORDEX uses new RCP emission scenarios and it is based on simulations of global CMIP5 climate models up to year 2100. The resolution of regional models is about 12 km (outputs from EUR-11, i.e. 0.11° latitude and longitude), which is already sufficient for climate impact and adaptation studies. The RCM models have been adjusted by model error correction (bias correction) to better correspond to the reality of the area under consideration (taking into account current measurements and observations within CHMI station network).
In the first step, the models outputs of the control run have been compared with the physically measured data. Based on the differences found, the models were adjusted using quantile correction. Global climate models (GCM) are used for selected outputs, that point in more objective way to the possible variance of future developments. From these GCM outputs we use only 28 simulation runs, for six meteorological characteristics needed for analyses within the CzechAdapt project (i.e. global radiation, max and min temperature, total precipitations, wind speed and relative humidity). When choosing which sets of outputs are used, two criteria are taken into account: the set well represents the variability within of all GCM, while containing a maximum of GCM models that are used to manage regional climate models (RCMs) in the Euro-CORDEX project (https://www.klimatickazmena.cz/en/).
We have started preparation of new regional scenarios using the ALADIN-CLIMATE/CZ model as part of the PERUN project (TA CR, SS02030040) with a resolution of 2.5x2.5 km in 2020 (https://www.perun-klima.cz/indexENG.html). The aim of the model part of the PERUN project is to adapt the ALADIN model to the ALADIN-CLIMATE/CZ version. The current climate data records for the period 1990-2014 is applied to validate the model. The new SSP5-8.5 scenario is being finalized and the SSP2-4.5 scenario will be completed later this year. The adjusted model is going to be used as a tool for conducting controlled experiments with changing input characteristics and lateral boundary conditions.
As far as Academy of Science of the Czech Republic concerns, mainly the Institute of Geophysics AS CR, p.r.i., Institute of Geology AS CR, p.r.i., Institute of Atmospheric Physics AS CR, p.r.i., Institute of Hydrodynamics AS CR, p.r.i., Institute of Systems Biology and Ecology AS CR, p.r.i. and Institute of Global Change Research AS CR, p.r.i. are involved. Universities involved are as follows: University of South Bohemia, Masaryk`s University - Faculty of Science, Mendel University in Brno and Charles University - Faculty of Mathematics and Physics and Faculty of Science. The involvement of these workplaces in climate change research is quite wide and varies over time depending on the success in grant competitions and the financial possibilities of their founders. For coordination with industrial entities, the Government of the Czech Republic created the Coal Commission as an advisory body to the Government and the Commission for Climate Issues, which is a professional and advisory body of the Research, Development and Innovation Council (RVVI).
PERUN project (Prediction, Evaluation and Research for Understanding national sensitivity and impacts of drought and climate change for Czechia, No. SS02030040) was launched in 2020 within the program Environment for Life funded by TA CR. Its aim is to build a sustainable research center with long lasting focus on research of climate change. The project leader is the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (CHMI, National Meteorological and Hydrological Service) which invited for cooperation the Institute of Global Change Research AS CR, p.r.i., Water Management Research Institute, p.r.i., Czech Geological Survey, Institute of Atmospheric Physics AS CR, p.r.i., Faculty of Mathematics and Physics and Faculty of Science of Charles University and PROGEO s.r.o.
Another projects are Centrum Voda (Water systems and water management in the Czech Republic under conditions of climate change, No. SS02030027) and DivLand (Center for Landscape and Biodiversity, No. SS02030018).
R&D programme Environment for Life supports some more smaller research projects (in the field of adaptation) besides three abovementioned centers.
The main objective is to analyse ongoing and predict future change, including identification risks to the environment and society. The output of the project carried out between 2020-2026 will be the most up-to-date knowledge necessary for the preparation and updating of strategic documents and for decision-making processes not only in the field of adaptations to climate change, but also for the evaluation of mitigation measures prior its implementation. The essential output of the partial objectives described in the project will be a publicly accessible research summary report supplemented by publically accessible databases, certified methodologies and, of course, scientific publications.
Hazard type | Acute/Chronic | Observed climate hazards |
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Water | Acute | Drought |
Flood | ||
Heavy precipitation | ||
Snow and ice load | ||
Chronic | Changing precipitation patterns and types | |
Solid mass | Acute | Avalanche |
Landslide | ||
Chronic | Soil erosion | |
Temperature | Acute | Cold wave frost |
Heat wave | ||
Wildfire | ||
Chronic | ||
Wind | Acute | Storm |
Tornado | ||
Chronic |
Hazard type | Acute/Chronic | Future climate hazards | Qualitative trend |
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Water | Acute | Drought | significantly increasing |
Flood | without significant change | ||
Glacial lake outburst Future | without significant change | ||
Heavy precipitation | without significant change | ||
Snow and ice load | significantly decreasing | ||
Chronic | Change in sea ice cover | without significant change | |
Changing precipitation patterns and types | significantly increasing | ||
Ocean acidification | without significant change | ||
Precipitation hydrological variability | without significant change | ||
Saline intrusion | without significant change | ||
Sea level rise | without significant change | ||
Water scarcity | significantly increasing | ||
Solid mass | Acute | Avalanche Future | without significant change |
Landslide Future | without significant change | ||
Subsidence Future | without significant change | ||
Chronic | Coastal erosion | without significant change | |
Soil erosion | significantly increasing | ||
Sol degradation | without significant change | ||
Solifluction | without significant change | ||
Temperature | Acute | Cold wave frost | without significant change |
Heat wave | significantly increasing | ||
Wildfire | significantly increasing | ||
Chronic | Changing temperature | significantly increasing | |
Permafrost thawing | without significant change | ||
Temperature variability | without significant change | ||
Wind | Acute | Cyclone | without significant change |
Storm | without significant change | ||
Tornado | without significant change | ||
Chronic | Changing wind patterns | without significant change |
Windstorms caused significant damages e.g. in 1999 (Lothar), 2007 (Kyrill), 2008 (Emma) or 2017 (Herwart). There are 15 records of death due to windstorms since 1993. At least 15 people died due to strike of lightning. The area of the Czech Republic experienced other climate related hazards, including tornados, forest fires, hails or landslides. However, frequency of such hazards of considerable magnitude is limited. There are typically 1-3 tornados documented every year, rarely exceeding F1 intensity. F3 intensity tornado impacted Litovel in 2004. The most severe tornado ever documented at Czech territory occurred between Breclav and Hodonín on June 24 2021. It was estimated to be IF4 category, it lasted 39 minutes, passed along 27.1 km long path including crossing of populated areas of Hrušky, Moravská Nová Ves, Mikulcice, and Hodonín. Tornado caused 6 fatalities and damage estimated to exceed 15 bill CZK. Forest fires occured during dry and hot summer conditions of 2015 and 2018. Recorded damages are so far limited to agricultural crops and forest harvest. Hails occur regularly in summer convective storms with impacts on crops. In August 2010, large hail storm impacted south part of Prague, resulting in damage of cars and other property estimated to 1 - 2 bln. CZK.
Floods are naturally affecting area of the Czech Republic. Reasonable historical reconstruction of the flood regime of Vltava River in Prague can reach as long as to 15th century. Systematic instrumental observations started at Vltava River in Prague in 1824 and at Elbe River in Decín in 1851. Major rivers have more than 100 years long observation time series available. Older historical flood records for purpose of flood hazard assessment complement these observations. Long-term trends show decrease in frequency and magnitude of large-scale spring snowmelt floods that dominated flood regime during 18th and first half of the 19th century due to less snow accumulation during the winter. Summer large-scale floods occurred throughout the known history including the oldest known description of flood from 1118, or probably the most disastrous flood for Prague in 1432. Recent large-scale summer floods include flood events from 1888 (South Bohemia), 1890 (Vltava River), 1897 (Elbe River), 1903 (Odra River), 1954 (Vltava River), 1997 (Morava and Odra Rivers), 2002 (Vltava and Elbe River), 2013 (Vltava River). Years (1997-2013) belong among known flood rich period comparable to e.g. mid 16th century or late 19th century. Systematic records of flash floods are available only for period since 2000. Earlier, abilities of detection were limited. Nevertheless, many extreme and deadly flash floods records have been collected since 19th century proving significant decrease in number of fatalities as a result of enhanced early warning system and rescue system. All together 178 fatalities due to flood (including flash floods) were recorded since the origin of the Czech Republic in 1993. Number includes deaths recorded in direct connection to floods (e.g. heart attacks, but also drowned paddlers).
Large landslides are rare phenomena in the Czech Republic occurring back to back with large flooding events (e.g. the largest recorded landslide in Gírová in May 2010). In 2013, large landslide damaged construction of Highway D8 close to Prackovice resulting in damage over 1 bln. CZK. Small landslide of steep slope of deep Vltava River valley in Trebenice resulted in damage of small cottage and death of two people during the flood in 2013.
Key affected sectors
Key affected sector(s) | agriculture and food |
Rating of the observed impacts of key hazards, including changes in frequency and magnitude | medium |
Different rating of the observed impacts of key hazards | |
Assessment | Agriculture is the most sensitive sector to weather and climate. Impacts are often related to temperature (spring frost) and precipitation (drought, wet spells) occurring in critical phases of crop cultivation. |
Rating of the key hazards' likelihood of occurrence and exposure to them under future climate | high |
Different rating of the likelihood of the occurrence of key hazards and exposure to them under future climate | |
Rating of the vulnerability, including adaptive capacity | high |
Different rating of the vulnerability and/or adaptive capacity | |
Assessment | High temperature stress during critical periods of growth during summer moths might affect corn or fodder. Lowland production areas are the most vulnerable to drought, where negative evapotranspiration budget occurs already. |
Rating for the risk of potential future impacts | high |
Different rating of the risk of potential future impacts | |
Assessment | Highest risk appears to be connected to increased drought occurrence (frequency and severity) resulting in yields decrease. Risk of soil erosion will also increase. Droughts will expose soil surface to wind and torrential rain eroding effect. |
Key affected sector(s) | biodiversity (including ecosystembased approaches) |
Rating of the observed impacts of key hazards, including changes in frequency and magnitude | medium |
Different rating of the observed impacts of key hazards | |
Assessment | Recent extreme drought period likely impacted forests heaths over the large territories and enabled bark beetle spread (see part on forestry). Increased temperature impacts biodiversity through shifting extent of area of ecologically suitable conditions for individual species. |
Rating of the key hazards' likelihood of occurrence and exposure to them under future climate | high |
Different rating of the likelihood of the occurrence of key hazards and exposure to them under future climate | |
Rating of the vulnerability, including adaptive capacity | high |
Different rating of the vulnerability and/or adaptive capacity | |
Assessment | Most vulnerable seems to be alpine and subalpine ecosystems depending on snow regime and cold temperature conditions. |
Rating for the risk of potential future impacts | high |
Different rating of the risk of potential future impacts | |
Assessment | It is likely that high temperature will lead to increased pressure to biodiversity. Increased spread of invasion species from warmer areas is likely. Biotopes of alpine and subalpine flora might perish, similarly suitable condition for some bird species (e.g. drought and high temperature) might diminish. Water ecosystems might suffer by changed water regime and more frequent droughts. |
Key affected sector(s) | civil protection and emergency management |
Rating of the observed impacts of key hazards, including changes in frequency and magnitude | high |
Different rating of the observed impacts of key hazards | |
Assessment | Hydrometeorological hazards are the most important hazards in the Czech Republic. For more details see text above. |
Rating of the key hazards' likelihood of occurrence and exposure to them under future climate | high |
Different rating of the likelihood of the occurrence of key hazards and exposure to them under future climate | |
Rating of the vulnerability, including adaptive capacity | high |
Different rating of the vulnerability and/or adaptive capacity | |
Assessment | Vulnerability is well known in the case of floods, as flood zones are delimited and reflected in land use planning as well as for preparedness. In future, special interest must be given to urban environment and adaptation to hot spells, and to wild fires which frequency might increase as result of more frequent droughts. Effective Early warning system including coping capacity to respond to hazard occurrence will remain a key factor in building of resilience. |
Rating for the risk of potential future impacts | high |
Different rating of the risk of potential future impacts | |
Assessment | As explained above, the risk of hot spells and wild fires will likely increase under climate change. Increase of risk resulting from convective storms and severe weather might also increase. Other hazards are likely to occur comparable frequency and severity as under current climate conditions. However, the overall risk might increase due to increase in value of property exposed to natural hazards as well as due to technological changes in particular related to critical infrastructure. |
Key affected sector(s) | energy |
Rating of the observed impacts of key hazards, including changes in frequency and magnitude | low |
Different rating of the observed impacts of key hazards | |
Assessment | Energy sector of the Czech Republic is extremely reliable. Interruptions of services are limited in area and duration, mostly caused by wind storms or snow storms impacts on grid. Drought and high temperature caused interruption of production of Melník power plant in 2003 (see text above). Recent drought caused significant decrease of production from hydro power plants. |
Rating of the key hazards' likelihood of occurrence and exposure to them under future climate | medium |
Different rating of the likelihood of the occurrence of key hazards and exposure to them under future climate | |
Rating of the vulnerability, including adaptive capacity | not applicable |
Different rating of the vulnerability and/or adaptive capacity | different key hazards |
Assessment | Vulnerability of various energy sources differs. While hydropower generation depend on amount of water disponible and thus is vulnerable to drought. Snowy and cloudy winter eliminate contribution from solar panels. Distribution grid is vulnerable to windstorms, snowstorms and icing phenomena. Vulnerability of distribution grid is significantly affected by interconnection of distribution network in Europe. It helps substitute outage of sources from the Czech Republic. On the other hand it may impact Czech grid by outages and demands elsewhere in Europe. |
Rating for the risk of potential future impacts | medium |
Different rating of the risk of potential future impacts | |
Assessment | Reliability of the network might decrease with changes of energy production mix as well as in case of increased demands, both chronic (e.g. electro mobility) and acute (e.g. cooling during hot spells or heating during winter blizzard like episodes). |
Key affected sector(s) | forestry |
Rating of the observed impacts of key hazards, including changes in frequency and magnitude | medium |
Different rating of the observed impacts of key hazards | |
Assessment | Windstorms are the main hazard in the long term. Most famous impact on windstorm on forestry dates to 1870, when Šumava Mts. was damaged. Recently severe drought weakened coniferous forests in large areas of the Czech Republic and enabled spread of bark beetle. |
Rating of the key hazards' likelihood of occurrence and exposure to them under future climate | medium |
Different rating of the likelihood of the occurrence of key hazards and exposure to them under future climate | |
Rating of the vulnerability, including adaptive capacity | high |
Different rating of the vulnerability and/or adaptive capacity | |
Assessment | The main production species Picea abies vulnerable to bark beetle outbreaks (and other pests) will increase due to increased drought occurrence and higher temperature. |
Rating for the risk of potential future impacts | high |
Different rating of the risk of potential future impacts | |
Assessment | Temperature increase and drought will affect the main production species Picea abies, expecting increased vulnerability to bark beetle outbreaks and other pests and change in production areas. |
Key affected sector(s) | health |
Rating of the observed impacts of key hazards, including changes in frequency and magnitude | not applicable |
Different rating of the observed impacts of key hazards | different key hazards |
Assessment | Temperature extremes impact excess mortality. While cold spells frequency has decreased in recent decades, hot spells are becoming more frequent. However, its impact on mortality decreased over the period 1986-2009 due to adaptation (see text above for details). |
Rating of the key hazards' likelihood of occurrence and exposure to them under future climate | not applicable |
Different rating of the likelihood of the occurrence of key hazards and exposure to them under future climate | different climate change scenarios; different key hazards |
Rating of the vulnerability, including adaptive capacity | not applicable |
Different rating of the vulnerability and/or adaptive capacity | different key hazards |
Assessment | Large cities (Prague namely) are most vulnerable locations to impacts of hot spells. On the other hand, development of air conditioning, prevention and rescue system capacity provides adaptive capacity to manage the risk. Lowland inundation areas seems to be most vulnerable to spread of infectious diseases due to most favorable conditions for host organisms like mosquitos. |
Rating for the risk of potential future impacts | not applicable |
Different rating of the risk of potential future impacts | different climate change scenarios; different key hazards |
Assessment | Cold connected risks are expected to decrease. Risks of impacts of hot spells will increase, similarly as risks of spread of infectious diseases and allergies. |
Key affected sector(s) | tourism |
Rating of the observed impacts of key hazards, including changes in frequency and magnitude | medium |
Different rating of the observed impacts of key hazards | |
Assessment | Winter sport resorts has experienced worsening of natural snow conditions for skiing in recent decades. Start of the winter is delayed often to end of December; several melting episodes typically occur even in mountains during the winter. |
Rating of the key hazards' likelihood of occurrence and exposure to them under future climate | high |
Different rating of the likelihood of the occurrence of key hazards and exposure to them under future climate | |
Rating of the vulnerability, including adaptive capacity | high |
Different rating of the vulnerability and/or adaptive capacity | |
Assessment | Winter resorts are dependent on favorable conditions for skiing. Artificial snow generation has become standard measure for resorts to ensure its operation, however, water availability might become limiting factor in some regions. In addition, rising temperatures will increase demand on technological solutions to enable snow generation during temperatures > C° affecting economic plausibility of such measures. |
Rating for the risk of potential future impacts | high |
Different rating of the risk of potential future impacts | |
Assessment | Due to higher temperatures, snow conditions will significantly worsen threatening winter sport resorts sustainability. |
Key affected sector(s) | transport |
Rating of the observed impacts of key hazards, including changes in frequency and magnitude | medium |
Different rating of the observed impacts of key hazards | |
Assessment | Road transportation is affected quite regularly during winter weather events and windstorms. Large flood events damage smaller bridges and roads at embankments of streams. The most extreme case was a destruction of highway D8 at underpass of local road during disastrous 2002 flood. Railroad transportation faces interruption is rare, mostly due to windstorms and fallen trees. Inland navigation has been limited in recent years due to low flow conditions at critical reach of Elbe River at Decín. Air traffic at Prague airport is vulnerable to windstorms and snowstorms mostly. |
Rating of the key hazards' likelihood of occurrence and exposure to them under future climate | medium |
Different rating of the likelihood of the occurrence of key hazards and exposure to them under future climate | |
Rating of the vulnerability, including adaptive capacity | medium |
Different rating of the vulnerability and/or adaptive capacity | |
Assessment | A significant factor of adaptive capacity will be enhanced and targeted meteorological prediction for transportation, that would enable preventive operational measures to decrease vulnerability of transportation. |
Rating for the risk of potential future impacts | medium |
Different rating of the risk of potential future impacts | |
Assessment | Floods will remain the most important future risk to roads, as their effect on interruption of transportation is often of a long duration. Increasing extreme temperatures (heats) represents increased risk of degradation of road surface and railroad construction. More frequent convective events during warm part of the year brings increased threat to operation of air traffic and Prague airport with potential increased delays and diversions. |
Key affected sector(s) | urban |
Rating of the observed impacts of key hazards, including changes in frequency and magnitude | high |
Different rating of the observed impacts of key hazards | |
Assessment | Impacts of hazards are more severe in urban areas due to concentration of people and property. That is in particular valid for floods. In case of hot spells, impacts are augmented by urban heat island in large cities. |
Rating of the key hazards' likelihood of occurrence and exposure to them under future climate | high |
Different rating of the likelihood of the occurrence of key hazards and exposure to them under future climate | |
Rating of the vulnerability, including adaptive capacity | not applicable |
Different rating of the vulnerability and/or adaptive capacity | different key hazards |
Assessment | About 4 % of inhabitants live in the flood zone, mostly in the urbanized areas. Urban areas are protected typically for 50 years flood (100 years flood for city centers, more than 500 years flood for center of Prague). Concerning hot spell, most vulnerable is Prague (1,3 mil inhabitants), Brno (381 thousands), Ostrava (288 thousands) and Plzen (175 thousands), where urban heat island is most significant. |
Rating for the risk of potential future impacts | high |
Different rating of the risk of potential future impacts | |
Assessment | Hot spells will increase in frequency and magnitude affecting physical, as well as mental comfort of inhabitants. It might increase mortality due to cardiovascular diseases, decrease the productivity of works in exterior. In combination with drought, it might negatively affect the urban green areas. |
Key affected sector(s) | water management |
Rating of the observed impacts of key hazards, including changes in frequency and magnitude | high |
Different rating of the observed impacts of key hazards | |
Assessment | Water management infrastructure was developed to ensure water supply to population and important industry sectors. It proved to be robust and reliable in water supply even during extreme drought period 2014-2019. It is estimated that up to 2 mil. people had to rely on substitute water supply. |
Rating of the key hazards' likelihood of occurrence and exposure to them under future climate | high |
Different rating of the likelihood of the occurrence of key hazards and exposure to them under future climate | |
Rating of the vulnerability, including adaptive capacity | not applicable |
Different rating of the vulnerability and/or adaptive capacity | different key hazards |
Assessment | Capacity of water infrastructure that had been built before 1989 was usually overdesigned due to estimated growth of demand of heavy industry. Since then the water use for households decreased by nearly 50 % (at the same time 94 % of inhabitants are supplied via water supply infrastructure). Infrastructure is robust in ensuring water supply even in droughts. Additionally, drought and low flows mean an increased vulnerability to contamination of water (due to smaller mixing ratio). |
Rating for the risk of potential future impacts | high |
Different rating of the risk of potential future impacts | |
Assessment | There’s no relevant data for considering change of flood hazard. Potential change in the risk of flood is expected to be caused by changes in exposure. On contrary, droughts occurrence will increase with expected increase in impact on groundwater availability and risk of pollution of surface and groundwater. |
Overview of institutional arrangements and governance at the national level
Implementation of adaptation policy formulated in NAS and NAP is a responsibility of the MoE and other respective ministries, indicated within every single task of NAP.
The MoE also conducts monitoring and evaluation of NAS/NAP in cooperation with other ministries responsible for implementing specific tasks.
There are two essential strategic documents in disaster risk management: Concept of population protection until 2025 with an outlook to 2030 and the Strategy of environmental Security 2021-2030 with an outlook to 2050.
Furthermore, there are two fundamental acts. The Crisis Management Act N. 240/2000 Coll. provides institutional arrangements and governance.
This Act specifies the domain and jurisdiction of state authorities and authorities of territorial self-governing units and rights and obligations of legal and natural entities during preparedness for crisis situations (disaster).
Another act is the Integrated Rescue System Act and amendments to certain acts 239/2000 Coll. This Act specifies the Integrated Rescue System, its components and their powers, powers and competences of state authorities and authorities of the self-governing territorial units, and self-governmental authorities, rights and obligations during preparedness for emergency events and during rescue and relief work, during population protection under and after the state of danger and the emergency state.
Currently, the government has approved a proposal of the Act on Hydrometeorological Service, which regulates the institutional and organizational provision of hydrometeorological services, such as Forecast service.
At the regional level, most of the 18 existing regions already have their specific policies and strategies of climate change adaptation and realize region-specific governances. The regions potentially strongly influenced by necessary transformation due to low-carbon economy (e.g. Moravia-Silesia, Northwest region) interlink climate change adaptation with economy transformation, other regions as South Moravia or Central Czechia adapt to drought.
As mentioned above, the acts 239/2000 Coll. and 240/2000 Coll. also stipulate obligations for regions (regional authorities) and municipalities in disaster risk management.
The updated NAS is structured by the seven major climate change manifestations in Czechia (long-term droughts, floods and flash floods, heavy rainfall, rising temperatures, extremely high temperatures, extreme wind , and wild fires) that often cross the lines between these sectors. There is only one strategic objective - to reduce the vulnerability and increase the resilience of human society and ecosystems to climate change and thus reduce the negative climate change impacts. On the level of specific objectives, every of the seven climate change manifestations is attributed to 3-5 of the specific objectives. There are three specific objectives focused on ecological stability and ecosystem services in agricultural, forest, and water ecosystems, one on the resilience of human settlements, and one on the early warning systems including responsible reaction.
The Action Plan elaborates further the measures outlined in the Strategy into specific tasks, which assign responsibilities, implementation deadlines, relevance of measures to individual climate change impacts and sources of financing.
According to NAS, the most important principles of adaptation to climate change in the Czech Republic are considered to be an integrated approach both to assessing the synergy of adaptation and mitigation measures and to assessing the suitability of the proposed measures for the individual components of the environment, the economy and the social sphere, also the priority implementation of solutions with multiple effects on the side of benefits (the so-called "win-win" solutions) and with low negatives on the side of risks or costs (so-called "low-regret" options), identification of opportunities associated with the adaptation process, prevention of inappropriate adaptations, and finally building the knowledge base and providing objective information for decision-making processes at all levels.
The updated NAS is valid for the period 2021 –– 2030, the updated NAP for the period 2021 – 2025.
As the adaptation action on the sub-national level is optional and is not guided by any binding rules, the MoE can provide only information available from sub-national adaptation strategies and plans. Thus, for example, in the adaptation strategy of the Moravian-Silesian Region, there is an identified need for improving thermal comfort in the settlements and facilities where vulnerable groups reside.
Selection of actions and (programmes of) measures
Description |
The National Programme Environment is a programme of aid financed from the State Environmental Fund. This programme is supplementary to the Operational Programme Environment and other grant and subsidy programmes. It provides mainly grants to a wide range of entities, including public and private legal persons as well as individuals. Adaptation to climate change is one of the fields of support, it focuses on retention of rain water by individuals, building capacities for new water resources, and development of green vegetation in urban areas.
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Status |
being implemented
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Key type measure (KTM) |
B: Economic and Finance
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Sub-KTM |
B1: Financing and incentive instruments
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Both documents have a slightly different methodology. Updated Complex Study represents a compilation of relevant data and research outcomes on climate change impacts in various sectors, including the economic consequences. The vulnerability assessment of total 98 indicators was developed within the framework of vulnerability, its relation to the specific climate change impacts, and areas or sectors. The concept of vulnerability consists of the element of exposition, sensitivity, and adaptation capacity.
The state of implementation is also monitored during the implementation of NAP. The MoE conducts the evaluation once per year by collecting information from the institutions and the MoE departments responsible for implementing a total of 350 measures of NAP. The results from monitoring are presented on the national level at Adaptation platform and they will be used for information of government in midterm of NAS.
Unfortunately, the Evaluation does not provide a complete picture of climate adaptation finance in the Czech Republic.
In the Energy and Industry sectors the measures related to security of energy supply and safety in industrial installations are regarded as implemented or ongoing. There are some shortcomings in implementation of measures aimed at providing sustainable supply of biomass and increasing reserve capacity in power grids.
In Forestry sector the measures of NAP relating to natural forest regeneration, increased ecological stability of forests and gene pool protection are regarded as implemented or ongoing. The exception is the measure relating to improved game management which was not yet implemented. There has been good progress in implementation of measures relating to restoration or improvement of forest water regime which are supported by several subsidy programmes.
Adaptation measures are supported in combination with mitigation measures in the New Green Savings Programme, including green rooftops or active and passive outside shading. Both new houses and houses undergoing refurbishment are eligible.
Also the requirements for passive houses include the value of maximal internal temperature without the utilisation of artificial cooling.
The first one was explicitly addressed in the NAP in the form of specific measures requiring, e.g., revision of specific norms or legal requirements. Most of these measures were successfully implemented.
The second one is related to the organization of adaptation on the national level, the need for reaching a consensus between the ministries on proper adaptation measures, and the need to strengthen personal capacities. These barriers are addressed directly in the development of NAS and NAP through long-term cooperation with all relevant stakeholders.
In 2020, an ongoing research project PERUN (Prediction, evaluation, and research for understanding national sensitivity and impacts of drought and climate change for Czechia) started and is projected for 6,5 years. The project outcomes will also serve as a knowledge base for the future update of strategic documents on adaptation.
The following documents were the key analytical basis for updating the NAS and NAP:
• Update of the 2015 Comprehensive Study of Impacts, Vulnerability and Sources of Climate Change-related Risks in the Czech Republic (team led by the CHMI, 2019);
• Vulnerability assessment of the Czech Republic in relation to climate change as of 2017 (CENIA, 2019);
• Evaluation of the implementation of the National Action Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change (CENIA and MoE, 2019).
Good practices and lessons learnt
Cooperation and experience
Besides that, adaptation action is also part of Strategic Framework Czech Republic 2030 (based on global Sustainable Development Goals) and Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
Climate change research is also conducted at many Czech universities, such as the Czech University of Life Sciences, the University of South Bohemia, and others. One notable international consortium of universities addressing one of the most pressing social and political issues of today, the environmental crisis caused by climate change, is GEOCEP (H2020, 2022-2026) - Global Excellence in Modeling Climate and Energy Policies. Led by Charles University (UK), the consortium brings together universities from around the world to study and tackle the challenges posed by climate change.
Further examples which can be found on LIFE project website:
• LIFE Adapt Brdy – Climate Change Adaptation of Forests in the Brdy Highland
The main objective of the LIFE Adapt Brdy project is to adapt forest stands in the territory of the Brdy Highland (a former military area) in Czechia to climate change, to increase their ability to resist biotic and abiotic factors, and to replicate good practices of close-to-nature management in other sites in Central Europe.
Coordinating recipient: Vojenské lesy a statky CR, s.p.
Partners: Výzkumný ústav lesního hospodárství a myslivosti, v.v.i., Ceská zemedelská univerzita v Praze, Staatsbetrieb Sachsenforst (SBS), Národné lesnícke centrum, Directorate-General of the State Polish Forests, Štátne lesy Tatranského národního parku, Správa Národního parku Šumava
Project implementation period: 2023 – 2027
Project budget: 4 977 415 €
Website: https://www.vls.cz/
• Life For Mires – Trans-Boundary Restoration Of Mires For Biodiversity And Landscape Hydrology In Sumava And Bavarian Forest
The LIFE for MIRES project aims to improve degraded mires and other wetland habitats of the Habitats Directive, and their underlying landscape hydrology, in the National Park šumava and the Bavarian Forest, through transboundary collaboration between partners in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Coordinating recipient: Správa Národního parku Šumava
Partners: Národní park Bavorský les, BUND Naturschutz in Bayern, e.V., Jihoceská univerzita v Ceských Budejovicích
Project implementation period: 2018–2024
Project budget: 5 845 002 €
Website: http://life.npsumava.cz/
Since the entry of the Czech Republic into the EU in 2004, started using the Life programme. The LIFE programme enables to finance a number of different measures and activities aimed at long-term and sustainable solutions to environmental and climate problems. One of the four sub-programmes is Climate change Mitigation and Adaptation. This sub-programme will contribute to the shift towards a sustainable, energy-efficient, renewable energy-based, climate-neutral and resilient economy, thereby contributing to sustainable development.
In 2021 the Ministry of Environment published the Policy paper for climate education as well as the Methodology for educators (https://ucimoklimatu.cz/metodiky/publikace) and continue with promoting of the climate change education in Czech schools.
The Czech Republic participated in 2019 a joint call to support research on “Biodiversity and climate change”. Two projects with Czech participation were selected for funding under the Horizon 2020 program (Assessing the effects of biological Invasions and Climate change on Shifts in species distributions in cold environments, Feedbacks between Biodiversity and Climate).
Czech participants also take part in challenges within the framework of the EU Mission Adaptation to Climate Change. The Mission focuses on supporting EU regions, cities and local authorities in their efforts to build resilience against the impacts of climate change.
In the last two years, Czech participants have been involved in the Mission Adaptation to Climate Change several projects.
Project “Water systems and water management in the Czech Republic in conditions of climate change” has been implemented within Thematic Annual Programming Action ERA-Net Cofund Aquatic pollutants. The Action supports international mobility, sharing good practice, materials, infrastructures, data and results.
In September 2022, Czech Presidency held Climate change adaptation conference "Designing Climate Resilient Landscapes". Representatives from across Europe presented their inspirational adaptation projects for water retention, soil protection, forest restoration and landscape planning. The result of this conference is the Prague Appeal.
Overview of institutional arrangements and governance at the sub-national level (where “sub-national” refers to local and regional)
Until 6th March 2023, 203 Czech municipalities have joined EU Covenant of Mayors for Climate&Energy. An institutional arrangement directly focused on local strategies and actions are LAGs. 179 LAGs are unified in the LAG network. LAGs also participate directly in climate adaptation projects, often with international cooperation and networking.
Under the LIFE project COALA, Moravian-Silesian Region is preparing a website which should contain information on adaptation (including also examples of good practice). Many partners joined this project, such as local government, private sector, and cross-border subject from Poland.
A memorandum for cities in Karlovy Vary region for sharing examples of good practice should be signed at the National Workshop on Adaptation of Czech Cities to Climate Change at the beginning of March.
Out of 14 regions, 3 of them have their adaptation strategy, other regions are in the stage of developing their adaptation strategy or other strategic documents relevant to adaptation action (retention of water in landscape, action plans for minimizing the negative impacts of droughts, etc.). Adaptation strategy is also already established in 24 municipalities with more in the process of developing.
At the end of 2018, the commissioned an Analysis of the Moravian-Silesian Region's Vulnerability to the Impacts of Climate Change in order to identify the region's vulnerability to the impacts of climate change for regions 2019-2027. The Moravian-Silesian Region Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change was approved in January 2020 and contributes to the fulfilment of the Development Strategy of the MSR 2019-2027, as it fulfils the Strategic Objective 4.3 Adaptation to the Impacts of Climate Change. Following this, the MSR successfully applied for the Integrated Project LIFE for Coal Mining Landscape Adaptation (Life-IP COALA; LIFE20 IPC/CZ/000004), the aim of which is to implement the MSR adaptation strategy and to share the experience with the MoE and other regions. The project is being implemented since 12/2021 until 12/2031. The experiences from this region should be shared with other vulnerable regions like Ustecky and Karlovy Vary region. Those three regions are structurally affected and also due to long coal mining history more vulnerable to climate change.
Prague has its own adaptation strategy and also database of adaptation measures with their evaluation and progress.
Water Act amendment (2021) establishes operational solutions to water scarcity at regional and national level: Drought Management Commission at regional and national level, Plans for Drought and Water Scarcity Management, and authority for example for restricting water abstraction.
The regional plans for drought and water scarcity management are already prepared, and at national level, the Drought Plan for the Territory of the Czech Republic will be published by 1 February 2024 at the latest. The plan shall serve in particular to support operational management during a drought episode. The main objective of the drought plan is to propose appropriate and necessary measures to ensure sufficient water to meet basic social needs, to minimize the negative impacts of water management during drought on the environment and to minimize the impacts of drought and water scarcity on economic activity.
In December 2018, the MoE started an online prediction system for drought management called HAMR (Hydrology-Agronomy-Meteorology-Retention). The system aims at informing the general public about the current status and close prediction of drought(up to 8 weeks) and at serving as a basis for decisions of the Drought Management Commissions, which operate at regional and national level during the declared state of water scarcity.
As mentioned above, Prague has its own database with good practice examples, which is regularly updated and the best examples are put into a regular report of the implementation and state of play.