Running projects

Modelling of Sustainable Forestry Scenarios Contributing To Climate Change Adaptation – Examining the Impacts on Energy Sector and GHG Emissions in the Czech Republic and Public Acceptability of These Scenarios by Czech population – LESY

The aim of the project is to identify forest development scenarios, options to implement adaptation strategies in forestry and to analyze impacts on energy, emission balance and the acceptability of given scenarios by the Czech public. The project translates adaptation measures into scenarios of development of crop and production characteristics, adds economic dimension (costs and benefits), social aspects (population preference), links scenario analysis in forestry and energy (the potential of usable biomass), and provides a follow-up balance of greenhouse gas emissions from forestry (mitigation effect), and a revision of the emissions of other pollutants. The project output is a complex assessment of scenarios in forest development in the country, including effects on other sectors and society.

MSA - Material system analysis of the Czech Republic: A tool for increasing analytical potential of the economy-wide material flow analysis

The project has two major goals: 1) To analyze structure and trends of economy-wide material flow indicators compiled for the Czech Republic; 2) To develop and apply a methodology for material system analysis of the Czech economy.

Green logistics: Tools for assessment of effects of environmental attributes on the demand for logistic services

To promote supply of pro-environmental services, we will develop and validate an instrument which will allow firms to exploit environmental motivation of their consumers to stimulate the demand for environmentally friendly logistic services.

Recreational purposes of Vltava river cascade and its economical potential under the climate change (2019-2022)

Project aims to assess the economic potential of recreation function in the Vltava River cascade and to predict its further development under the different scenarios of climate change. 

LIFE-IP: N2K Revisited - Integrated LIFE project for the Natura 2000 network in the Czech Republic (2019-2026)

The main objective of the LIFE-IP: N2K Revisited project is to establish a more effective management system for Natura 2000 network sites in the Czech Republic. The aim is to link appropriate management more effectively with corresponding planning, based on accurate assessments of status and trends of the target features, accompanied by cooperation with land users. The project will effectively utilise knowledge of the benefits provided by natural capital to society and take into account relevant costs. The project will also support regional authorities, municipalities and land users to help them mobilise their own resources, including recommendations for the EU 2027+ programming period.

Frontiers in Energy Efficiency Economics and Modelling

This research aims at pushing the frontiers of research on energy economics and modelling. We examine the causes of the energy efficiency gap, focusing on adoption and substitution of energy durables by households, and investigate to what extent consumers are willing to provide some flexibility to the energy system through demand response. 

Ensuring Quality of Open Education Resources: How to Create and Use Open Access Materials with Regards to its Quality

The aim of the project is to create a) a certified methodology, which will be a methodical tool for creating OER suitable for university studies. The Methodological Portal will summarize the methodological knowledge for creating OER, introduce a series of materials on a given topic (texts, videos, pictures) and provide an interactive space for discussion of users, creating their OER. Based on methodological knowledge, a freely available online course (MOOC) for both Charles University employees and the general public will be created to enhance knowledge and competencies in the field of online resource creation and use. The Methodological Portal and online course will be available after the end of the project to support critical resource assessment as a defence against disinformation.

Sustainable Development on Regional Level - Combination of Theory and Practice

The three-year lifelong learning project exploits the innovation potential of universities to support capacities of local actors for sustainable development in the regions of the Czech Republic. In interaction of several institutions, training system for the Local Action Group network will be developed, tested and implemented as a Certified Methodology. Methodical materials and the Portal of regional sustainable development based on the latest scientific knowledge and the existing good practice will cover 9 thematic areas of sustainable regional development. Mapping situation on-site will serve as a base for decision-making; new evaluation tools will assess the impact of educational interventions. The results will support regional development processes based on the bottom-up initiatives.

Education for the Future

In year 1 we will map arts-integration pedagogies in CR and review the state of the art in ESD competences and arts-sustainability pedagogies globally. Based on theory and experience, we will develop an interdisciplinary sustainability-arts module. In year 2 we will pilot the module in 4 classes in 2 schools. Results will be analysed and used to develop teaching materials and methodological inspiration on sustainability-arts pedagogy in the form of handouts and online audio-visual material for schools. Students’ work and project results will be presented at an interactive, peer-learning science fair and workshop for educational professionals and policy-makers. In cooperation with the Advisory Board the project will establish the basis for a Czech sustainability-arts network.

Integrated models for analysis of regulatory impacts and simulations of long-term scenarios of energy sector development – RegSim 

The project develops integrated models for the analysis of the impacts of regulation and simulation of long-term scenarios of energy development. In the Czech Republic, complex modeling and predictive economic and energy models are not developed or used in the fields of energy consumption, transport and environment, although regulatory impact assessments are an integral part of the legislative process and the need for quantification of the economic and distributional impacts of development and simulation technology utilization in the longer term faces a number of upcoming policies and measures. 

Optimal use of renewable energy in transport – OZE 

The project reflects a summary of the current knowledge on renewable energy sources and their evaluation, a proposal for a strategy for the future use of renewable energy sources in transport sector and a model that will evaluate the fulfillment of the objectives under the optimal strategy and respond to changes in the implemented measures. This strategy will take into account the ranking of the benefits of each type of renewable energy taking account of availability of raw materials, technologies, costs and benefits, and the quantification of the expected evolution of their share in 2020–2030, based on current knowledge. The aim of the project is to highlight shortcomings in existing laws, to assess current subsidies and to evaluate the cooperation between ministries and other entities involved, and to streamline the support of renewable energy sources in the Czech Republic and its uptake in transport sector. 

Authentication of computation of the social value of woody plants growing out of forest for the purpose of calculation of the extent of compensation measures for felling

The project aims at evaluation, revision, innovation, completion and verification of the approach for assessment of woody plants growing out of forest. The solution stems from the existing approach (Kolařík a kol., 2013), which is revised, complemented and innovated.

Responsible consumption: Responsible consumption - materials for education for sustainable lifestyle

In the first year, the project will review the most up-to-date research results on environmental aspects of consumer behavior (quantitative aspect - impact assessment and prevention, qualitative view - lifestyle change); determine its relevance to education. It will identify concepts and methodological tools to support behavioral change: sustainability values, competences, creativity for innovation, critical thinking and orientation in information environment, whole-institutional approach. Based on theories and experience, methodical materials will be developed and tested in the second year. Reflection in the third year will include experience from the processes of learning and sharing / transferring knowledge; the main result will be a methodology for teaching and evidence-based policy.

Energy Economics and Environmental Policy

A collaborative project of the IES and Charles University Environmental Center´s primary is to establish a new Research Group on “Energy and Climate Economics” (REGEC) that will contribute to better understanding of behavioral factors and deepen the knowledge on the economic, distributive and environmental impacts of climate and energy policies. The REGEC presents interdisciplinary research in that economic models are enriched by other disciplines. The newly established REGEC group is intended to be an umbrella body that board fellows working in two research centers, who are conducting lectures and supervising students at several CUNI’s faculties in order to enhance collaborations and increase the quality of research outputs. The REGEC project is a start-up vehicle to deepen knowledge through cooperation within CUNI and internationally. The research will cover the area of consumer demand and preference analysis, focusing primarily on energy efficiency behavior and energy efficiency paradox. The REGEC will also be developing or enriching various models to assess the economic, distributive, and environmental impacts of regulation, including partial equilibrium and macro models, analysis of factor substitution or abatement costs.

Hybrid: Developing Hybrid Modelling Framework for Regulatory Impact Assessment: CGE-TIMES

The project develops a Hybrid Modelling Framework for Regulatory Impact Assessment combining a top-down and a bottom-up modelling approaches. A Hybrid CGE-TIMES model is enriched by integration of detailed transport and energy technologies from the technology optimisation model TIMES and simultaneously reflects the microeconomic foundations of general equilibrium. As a separate step, both dynamic energy-economy CGE model and energy system TIMES model are hard-linked to modules of vehicle technologies and energy-efficiency measures, and to environmental and health benefits. Additional added value of the project is that is focuses to energy services as final demand of energy what helps to better understanding of agent behaviour in energy consumption. The integrated hybrid modelling framework is built to assess in a coherent way the economic, welfare, environmental and energy impacts of various policies, including regulations in environmental, energy and transport area in the Czech Republic.

RCE Czechia: Regional centre of expertise Czechia

RCE Czechia is currently a community of 22 partners - Czech universities, schools, non-governmental organizations, representatives of local government and small-scale entrepreneurs - who aim to build a culture of sustainability and involve citizens in democratic processes.

University Innovation Network

The aim of the project is a complex evaluation of large-scale forest reclamations on habitats altered by surface mining of brown coal. The goal is to evaluate forest regeneration options with respect to potential value of the reclaimed forest ecosystem considering the primary production of the stand and the possibility of provision of ecosystem services - carbon sequestration, soil water retention, biodiversity, erosion control and cultural services.

The aim of the project is to develop (i) a software model, which enables, according to a compiled computation procedure, to quantify and economically assess the degradation of forests and corresponding changes in ecosystem services due to the effects of human-related airborne emissions and stress associated with climate change, and (ii) a methodology, documenting a reproducible procedure for the evaluation of alternative adaptation measures in forest management that reduce the risks from exposure to atmospheric pollution and extreme climate events to health status of spruce stands, in terms of the impact of the adaptation measures on particular ecosystem services related to forest stands.

 The central goal of this project is to analyze the environmental consequences of European household consumption. We aim to develop and apply a novel concept to account for the biosphere integrity footprint of household consumption, to account for the appropriation of potential carbon stock in ecosystems, and biodiversity loss resulting from agricultural land use embodied in products consumed by households.

The aim of this project is to quantify the environmental consequences of individual purchases and activities of city-centered lifestyles. 

Project ‘Progres - Environmental Research, follows the previous interdisciplinary project ‘Prvouk’. The present proposal corresponds with the framework and research concepts of the Institute for Environmental Studies – Faculty of Science, Environment Center of the Charles University, Department of Social and Cultural Ecology of the Faculty of Humanities, Department of Atmospheric Physics of the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Department of Environmental Law of the Faculty of Law, Centre of Environmental Education of the Faculty of Education and Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine of the Third Faculty of Medicine. The aim of the project is to conduct a conceptual and interdisciplinary study regarding the biotic and abiotic interactions between environmental compartments. 

CO-designing the Assessment of Climate CHange costs – COACCH (H2020, 2017–2021)

COACCH will develop an innovative science-practice and integrated approach to co-design and co-deliver an improved downscaled assessment of the risks and costs of climate change in Europe, working with end users from research, business, investment, and policy making communities throughout the project. COACCH will advance the evidence base on complex climate change impact chains, assessing their market, non-market, macroeconomic and social consequences in the EU. It will integrate spatially-explicit impact models, macroeconomic models with subnational resolution, statistical downscaling techniques and innovative non-modelling approaches, covering market (agriculture, forestry, fishery, industry, services, energy, built environment, infrastructure) and non-market sectors (ecosystems, health).

PEOPLE: People-Centred Development in Practical and Learning Environments

International project People-Centred Development Approaches in Practical and Learning Environments (PEOPLE) focuses on the mismatch between qualifications gained by humanities and social science students (in particular anthropology, psychology, and sociology) and skills expected from graduates by employers in industry. 

INHERIT is an 18-partner research project about defining effective inter-sectoral policies that promote better health and greater well-being across social gradients by looking at key environmental stressors and related inequalities in the areas of living, moving and consuming.

GEMCLIME focuses on energy economics and climate change. It covers the drivers of climate change, the examination of climate change and energy-related risks and vulnerabilities, the valuation of economic impacts of climate change mitigation and adaptation policies, and the investigation of major policy responses to global climate and energy challenges. The project follows an integrated approach to modelling the impacts of climate and energy policies. Researchers pay attention to the economics of renewable energies and the valuation of non-marketed goods. The results contribute to advances in fundamental economics and have applications to science-based policies.

The aim of the project is to strengthen the institutional capacity of municipalities and regions in the field of strategic management and communication. Activities are built based on the advanced quality control methods of Local Agenda 21 (LA21), within which methodological approaches and practical tools for local governments will be systematically developed. The project is primarily educational in nature, in terms of acquisition of knowledge and skills training in all related topics. It includes gathering data for the development of a comprehensive strategic management plan, enhancing professional communication between territorial public administration and citizens and a practical tool for ensuring the quality of project management within local public administration. These aspects will be connected and supported by embedding quality management systems in municipalities. Cross-cutting activities will thus include expert evaluation of processes and outcomes of Local Agenda 21- sharing of experience and providing appropriate training for municipalities - this integrates into itself all the knowledge gained, and tools developed (methodological, technical), in the course of the project. Activities focus on territorial governance across the Czech Republic, and will apply relevant international experiences

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Web pages of VCSEwiki (only in English)

VCSEWiki is a on-line platform - colaboration tool for education of  problems of environment and sustainable development in English. Enviwiki should serve to support interdisciplinary education of environmental problems in English  it offers space for creating, publishing and sharing of specialized text and offers also methodological support. 

Web pages of Enviwiki (only in Czech)

Enviwiki is a on-line platform - knowledge base - devoted to education oriented on problems of environment and sustainable development. Enviwiki should serve to support interdisciplinary education of environmental problems in Czech universities: it offers space for creating, publishing and sharing of specialized text and offers also methodological support. Published articles can be used both by teacher and students also in primary and secondary schools.

Journal web page

Envigogika is a specialist peer-reviewed professional open access periodical published by the Charles University (Prague). The journal publishes original academic papers and additional informative articles from the field of environmental education (EE), education for sustainable development (ESD) and also from other related areas. Journal is registered in the ERIH PLUS database, DOAJ database and has DOAJ Seal of quality.

Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Czech Republic

The Center is involved in the national inventorying system, co-ordinated by the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute. It is responsible for annual inventorying of greenhouse gas emissions from the waste sector applying the IPCC methodology.