LIFE programme - Country Factsheet

CZECH REPUBLIC
Overview
Since it became a Member State of the EU in 2004, ten LIFE projects have been financed in the Czech Republic. Of these, three focus on environmental innovation, six on nature conservation, and one on information and communication. These projects represent a total investment of 27 million, of which 14.5 million has been contributed by the European Union. Every year a call for project proposals is launched covering the programmes three components: Nature and Biodiversity, Environment Policy and Governance, and Information and Communication. You will find more details on these and all recent LIFE projects in the Czech Republic in the annexed lists.

This document provides an overview of LIFE in the Czech Republic. It showcases success stories and ongoing initiatives, indicates how to find further information on the projects and provides a list of ongoing projects in Annex.

Last update: 20/01/14

European Commission, DG Environment LIFE E.3 & E.4 Units (http://ec.europa.eu/life/)

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Environment Policy and Governance

To date, there are three ongoing projects funded under the LIFE Environment Policy and Governance component in the Czech Republic. These projects represent a total investment of 12 million, of which the European Union is contributing 50%. One project, run by the Prague University of Life Sciences, aims to develop, test, evaluate and distribute to the public and the business sectors in the Czech Republic, a new, standardised methodology for the assessment of energy projects, in the context of urban and regional planning. The project is expected to run for 36 months. More detailed objectives are presented in the box below. Further information, including results, will be provided in due course. Another project aims to demonstrate innovative methods to assess the possible health risks associated with the exposure of the general public to diesel exhaust particles, under real-life traffic conditions, in the city of Prague. The project will run for five years and is being carried out by the Institute of Experimental Medicine in Prague. The third project runs for a 44 month period and aims to demonstrate a new type of production system for automotive flat glass. The beneficiary is AGC Flat Glass Czech a.s.

Regional Sustainable Energy Policy based on the Interactive Map of Sources (ReStEP) LIFE10/ENV/CZ/000649
The main focus of this project is to improve environmental protection and the efficient use of natural resources, by reducing the number of wrongly assessed renewable energy sources (RES) projects by 50%. The project uses an innovative software tool an interactive map of conditions for renewable and alternative energy sources, including biofuels. More specifically, the project aims: 1) To develop a comprehensive methodology for the assessment of the building and operation of RES and biofuel production plants, using an interactive map (showing the conditions for renewable and alternative energy sources). The methodology will be included in new legislative and administrative processes in this field, via the Ministry of Environment and other State administrative bodies. It will include a guide for regional authorities; 2) To create an innovative tool to aid decision-making on the use of natural resources for energy supply purposes, in order to establish the conditions for the development of sustainable energy, while preserving biodiversity, food and energy safety, and also taking into account local conditions and environmental impacts; and 3) To implement this new methodology, including the interactive map, and promote its use at regional level, including by towns and municipalities, public administrations , the business sectors and the wider public. The main expected result is a reduction of 50%, on 2005 levels, in the number of wrongly assessed RES projects in the period 2015-2019. Other expected results include: 1) A new methodology to assess the investment potential of energy sources (a guide issued by the Ministry of Environment and proposals for legislative amendments); 2) An interactive map of the conditions for renewable and alternative energy sources (a software tool available to public administrations via websites, including a user- manual); 3) Communication and educational activities for investors and operators of RES (workshops, courses including e-learning - 10 events in total); and 4) At least 10 investment projects by the end of the project, the assessment of which will have made use of the methodology and/or the map. For further information: http://www.restep.cz

Last update: 20/01/14

European Commission, DG Environment LIFE E.3 & E.4 Units (http://ec.europa.eu/life/)

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Nature and Biodiversity

To date, the LIFE Nature and LIFE Nature and Biodiversity components have co-financed six projects in the Czech Republic. These projects represent a total investment of 14 million, of which 8 million is contributed by the European Union. One closed project focused on the restoration of thermophilous habitats in the Moravian Karst (detailed results of this successful LIFE Nature project are presented in the box below). A second closed project succeeded in preserving alluvial forest habitats in the Morvka river Basin. There are currently four ongoing projects in the Czech Republic. The first, run by the Czech Agency for Nature Conservation and Landscape Protection, aims to contribute to the maintenance, and restoration to a favourable conservation status, of the unique thermophilous habitats and species in the Lounsk Stedoho hills. A second project, run by the Czech Agency for Nature Conservation and Landscape Protection, aims to introduce, test and promote patchwork management, which is essential for the conservation of target butterfly species. The third project, which is coordinated by the Krkonoe National Park, aims to create suitable conditions to ensure the favourable conservation status of the grassland habitat types 6510, 6520 and 6230 and of the EU priority species Gentianella bohemica and bullhead in the Krkonoe SCI, thus contributing to the conservation of biodiversity and to the performance of the Natura 2000 network. The last project, carried out by the Czech NGO, SOP Salamandr, aims to improve the management and conservation status of Nardus grasslands in the Beskydy Natura 2000 site. The ongoing projects have a duration of between 60 and 72 months.

Preservation of alluvial forest habitats in the Morvka river Basin (MORAVKA) LIFE06/NAT/CZ/000121
This project succeeded in achieving its principle objectives. Extensive fieldwork resulted in the removal of more than 90% of the invasive Japanese knotweed species within the project area. Outbreaks of another invasive species, Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera), were also tackled successfully. In addition, higher than expected numbers of trees and shrubs were planted to support the overall habitat restoration process. Methodological approaches developed by the project provide useful blueprints for the beneficiary and its partners. These included safe techniques for using herbicide chemicals in wetland environments. These methods were also disseminated to other interested parties. Public awareness actions also had a valuable impact, and proved to be popular with local stakeholders such as schools. Other positive impacts of Natura 2000 demonstrated by the project, include its ability to support employment during and after the LIFE funding period, via jobs and through service contracts. For further information: http://www.life-moravka.cz/

Last update: 20/01/14

European Commission, DG Environment LIFE E.3 & E.4 Units (http://ec.europa.eu/life/)

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Information and Communication

The projects funded under this LIFE+ component aim to disseminate information and raise the profile of environmental issues. They also provide training and awareness-raising on the prevention of forest fires. There is one ongoing project under this component in the Czech Republic. Its general aim is to enhance the development of effective communication, as well as to support targeted dissemination of information as a means of addressing specific problems related to nature conservation and landscape protection in NUTS II Moravia-Silesia. The total investment is 0.8 million, of which the European Union is contributing 45.22 %. The projects objectives are presented in more details in the box below. Further information (including results) will be provided in due course.

Unified information and communication system for nature conservation in NUTS II Moravia-Silesia (INFOMS) LIFE08/INF/CZ/000443
This project aims to eliminate conflicts and identified problems during the Natura 2000 implementation process (in relation to communities and landowners). It will also seek to improve communication and information exchange between key participants of nature protection and increase the representation of the public and non-profit sectors. Another of the projects goals is to enhance awareness of nature conservation and landscape protection among priority target groups in order to reduce the frequency with which nature conservation laws are broken. The project will target some 50 communities and hundreds of owners and tenants of the lands where the protected territories are located. More than 300 organisations will be included in information activities and more than 10 organisations will be involved in cooperation schemes. Anther expected result is a 30% decrease, in comparison with 2008, in the unauthorised tree felling, in flora and fauna biotope damage in small-scale protected areas, and in disturbance of animals and erosion as a result of illegal motocross. For further information: http://infoms.kr-moravskoslezsky.cz

Last update: 20/01/14

European Commission, DG Environment LIFE E.3 & E.4 Units (http://ec.europa.eu/life/)

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How to find out more about LIFE and LIFE projects

By surfing on the LIFE website
The LIFE website provides a wealth of information on the LIFE programme: http://ec.europa.eu/life/

By searching on the LIFE projects

For further information on LIFE projects in the Czech Republic or LIFE projects in general, please consult the online LIFE projects database. http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/Projects/index.cfm The easy-to-use database is the authoritative source of information on all ongoing and closed LIFE projects. The database also provides information on the beneficiaries, their contact details, and the projects websites.

By contacting: The National Contact Point for the Czech Republic

Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic
Name: Address: Tel: Fax: E-mail: Website: Ms. Markta KONECNA, Department of Economic and Voluntary Instruments Vrsovicka 65 CZ - 100 10 Prague 10 +420 267 12 24 47 N/A marketa.konecna@env.cz N/A

The Monitoring Team for the Czech Republic

ASTRALE EEIG - SOGES-ILE Rgy u.5 HU - 2000 Szentendre Tel: (36) 26 90451 Fax: (36) 26 500 004 E-mail: soges-ile@astrale.org

Last update: 20/01/14

European Commission, DG Environment LIFE E.3 & E.4 Units (http://ec.europa.eu/life/)

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Recent Environment Policy & Governance projects in the Czech Republic

Project Title Project Number Website Click on the icon to read the project summary Project duration

Regional Sustainable Energy Policy based on the Interactive Map of Sources (ReStEP) Innovative Methods of Monitoring of Diesel Engine Exhaust Toxicity in Real Urban Traffic (MEDETOX) Validation of an innovative automotive glass process: hot oxygen combustion and hot natural gas (HOxyGas)

LIFE10 ENV/CZ/000649 LIFE10 ENV/CZ/000651

http://www.restep.cz 11/2011>10/2014 http://medetox.cz 09/2011> 08/2016 http://www.agc-hoxygas.eu/ 06/2012> 01/2016

LIFE11 ENV/CZ/000488

Recent Nature & Biodiversity projects in the Czech Republic

Project Title Project Number Website Click on the icon to read the project summary Project duration

Restoration of thermophilous habitats in the Moravian Karst (RUPICOLOUS) Preservation of alluvial forest habitats in the Morvka river Basin (MORAVKA) Active protection of the SCIs with thermophilous habitat types and species in Lounsk Stedoho hills (Lounsk Stedoho Steppe) Integrated protection of rare butterfly species of non-forest habitats in the Czech Republic and Slovakia (Butterflies CZSK) Grasslands and streams restoration in SCI Krkonoe: Future of Nardus grasslands*, Dwarf gentian* & Bullhead (LIFE CORCONTICA) Preservation of species-rich Nardus grasslands in pSCI Beskydy (LIFE Beskydy)

LIFE04 NAT/CZ/00015 LIFE06 NAT/CZ/000121 LIFE09 NAT/CZ/000363

http://psh.ecn.cz/index2.htm 10/2004 > 12/2007 http://www.life-moravka.cz 01/2007 > 12/2010 http://www.ochranaprirody.cz/life 01/2011 > 06/2016

LIFE09 NAT/CZ/000364

http://www.ochranaprirody.cz/life 01/2011 > 12/2015

LIFE11 NAT/CZ/000490

http://life.krnap.cz/ 06/2012 > 04/2018

LIFE12 NAT/CZ/000629

N/A 01/2014 > 12/2019

Recent Information and Communication projects in the Czech Republic

Project Title Project Number Website Click on the icon to read the project summary Project duration

Unified information and communication system for nature conservation in NUTS II Moravia-Silesia (INFOMS)

LIFE08 INF/CZ/000443

http://infoms.krmoravskoslezsky.cz/

01/2010 > 12/2013

Last update: 20/01/14

European Commission, DG Environment LIFE E.3 & E.4 Units (http://ec.europa.eu/life/)

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