Coal Commission recommends ending lignite use in Czechia by 2038

The Coal Commission has recommended that the Czech Republic halt lignite mining as of 2038 with a view towards reducing the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. According to ČTK, 15 of the Commission’s 19 members voted for the year 2038, while the years 2033 and 2043 were also under consideration.

Minister of Environment Richard Brabec had supported the earliest date, arguing that the Czech Republic should move towards cleaner energy before 2030 and be ready to abandon coal within a few more years. The final decision rests with the Czech government.

In December 2019, the European Commission announced the European Green Deal, a new policy framework to accelerate decarbonization in the EU. If approved by member states and the European Parliament, the EU Green Deal would require the bloc to lower greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030 versus 1990 levels, and to net-zero by 2050.

The Coal Commission was established last year as a government advisory body in part to determine how to meet that goal. It is comprised mainly of representatives of mining companies, academics and environmentalists.

Author: Brian Kenety