Running projects
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ARAMIS (TA ČR, 2020–2023)
Financial support: Grant Agency of the CR
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
Involved departments:
Research team:
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BlueAdapt (Horizon Europe, 2022–2026)
BlueAdapt - Reducing climate based health risks in blue environments: Adapting to the climate change impacts on coastal pathogens
GEOCEP, a new interdisciplinary MSCA RISE project, led by Charles University, is funded by the European Commission. The project will connect the frontiers of climate change and energy economics with state-of-the-art natural and social sciences.
Project web page: Project web
Project period: 2022–2026
Financial support: European Commission – programme Horizon 2020
Project description:
BlueAdapt brings together an interdisciplinary team of biologists, climate scientists, economists, epidemiologists and public health experts to investigate and quantify the future health risks associated with selected coastal pathogens.
BlueAdapt will provide tools to assess the impacts of policy responses and communicate the results to a wide audience, including both policymakers and the public. A conceptual framework will be developed around existing models of One Health and Ecological Public Health, to help wider engagement with the complex nature of the issue. Horizons scanning and downscaled climate modelling will feed into lab based experiments and the development of simulations around how changes in climate variables, interacting with other environmental changes, may influence the state of selected microbial pathogens of public health concern in coastal waters. Case studies will illustrate how One Health and Ecological Public Health concepts can be used to generate action and identify potential barriers to adaptation. Health impact assessment and cost-benefit analysis will inform appropriate action. BlueAdapt Innovation Slams and policy workshops will help deliver a wider impact from the project including new-to-firm and new-to-market products and services.
Project partners:
- BC3 Basque Centre for Climate Change
- Univerzita Karlova
- Uniwersytet Warszawski
- Deltares
- Cmcc
- Eurohealthnet
- Istituto Superiore di Sanita
- Universidad del Pais Vasco
- University of Exeter
- Bangor University
ThenCoordinator of the project in CUEC:
Involved departments:
Research team:
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CAPABLE (Horizon Europe, 2023–2025)
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
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Research team:
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CEVOOH (TAČR, environment for living; 2023–2026)
Centre of environmental research: Waste management, circular economy and environmetal secutiry
The aim of the project is to build a long-term, professional, interdisciplinary, research base made up of key research organizations with experience and expertise to carry out research in the field of waste and circular management in a broader context. The Center will provide the Ministry of the Environment, other ministries, expert platforms and other entities with research results, dissemination of scientific knowledge and expert support in policy making, strategies and regulations.
Project period: 1. 1. 2023–31. 12. 2027
Financial support: Technological Agency of the Czech Republic)
Project description: The aim of the project is to build a long-term, professional, interdisciplinary, research base made up of key research organizations with experience and expertise to carry out research in the field of waste and circular management in a broader context. The Center will provide the Ministry of the Environment, other ministries, expert platforms and other entities with research results, dissemination of scientific knowledge and expert support in policy making, strategies and regulations. The Center, formed by a consortium of eight research organizations and universities, is focused on conducting research in the thematic areas related to the Czech Republic's transition from a linear to a circular economic model. This transition requires research in new areas such as substance flows, innovative technologies to minimize the use of primary raw materials in production, maximum material usability and recovery of waste, byproducts and intermediate products, ecodesign of products, monitoring and evaluation of not only environmental, but also socio-economic processes. The main thematic areas the Center will focus on in its activities are waste and circulation management, monitoring and development of new monitoring tools to monitor the transition to the circular economy, including the development of new indicators, life cycle analysis, ecodesign standards, environmental contamination, emerging pollutants, using new methods and approaches to identify and eliminate pollution, e.g. through satellite remote sensing. The area of environmental security, prevention of major industrial accidents and related topics of cyber security and social acceptability of environmentally and technologically induced risks are also an indispensable topic. The activities of the Center interconnect science, technology and humanities in one interdisciplinary platform with the aim of moving the Czech Republic closer to the circular economy.
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
Involved departments:
- Department of Indicators of Environmental Sustainability
- Environmental Footprint Lab
- Department of Environmental Economics and Sociology
Research team:
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Envigogika (2006– )
Envigogika – peer reviewed scientific on-line journal
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.
Project web page: Envigogika journal
Project period: 2006
Financial support: ournal was supported by several grants in past years: OPVK - Mezioborová síť udržitelného rozvoje (MOSUR) MŠMT (Ministry of education, youth and sports) MŽP prostřednictvím programů VaV (Ministry of Environment)
Project description: 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.
Project outputs: At least one issue of journal each year
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
Involved departments:
Research team:
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Enviwiki (2007– )
Enviwiki – on-line knowledge base for interdisciplinary education of problems of environment and sustainable development
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.
Project web page: Enviwiki (only in Czech)
Project period: 2007-
Financial support: Creation and expansion of Enviwiki was supported in past by several grants and projects.
Project description: 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.
Project outputs: Increasing number of good quality pages, high amount of accesses of readers.
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
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Research team:
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ESD:SuperVision (Erasmus+, 2020–2023)
ESD:SuperVision - qualification and further training for consultants for the implementation of ESD in school curricula
The aim of ESD:SuperVision is on the one hand to create the conditions for the development of high quality and cross-curricular school materials for secondary education on the topic of Sustainable Development (SD) and to make them available under a creative commons license.
Project period: 09/2020-08/2023
Financial support: European Commission, Erasmus+ Programme
Project description:
The aim of ESD:SuperVision is on the one hand to create the conditions for the development of high quality and cross-curricular school materials for secondary education on the topic of Sustainable Development (SD) and to make them available under a creative commons license.
On the other hand, as part of the project, teachers shall be trained to facilitate key competences to students (systems-thinking skills, (sustainability) entrepreneurship skills, values and needs overview).
Expected results and products (tangible and intangible outcomes)
- Training courses and methods for teaching sustainability issues;
- School-based curricula – adapted/aligned internationally
- Evaluation tools, performance review
- Manual of methods
The key competences can be implemented within all teaching subjects and are also interdisciplinary. This approach includes:
- Training of teachers on the methodology and usage/applicability of ESD related topics;
- Transferring, evaluation, adaptation and development of competence-oriented methods (tool-set) for the promotion of
- School and curriculum development
- Networking within the participating regions
Anticipated effect (impact envisaged)
- ESD issues/topics as part of the subject curricula
- improvement of teacher-student relationship
- Open-source acceptance of cross-curricular school materials
- multiplier effect on economic development within the participating regions?)
Project outputs:
- Training courses and methods for teaching sustainability issues;
- School-based curricula – adapted/aligned internationally
- Evaluation tools, performance review
- Manual of methods
Project partners:
- Integrierte Gesamtschule Oyten Germany
- RCE Oldenburger Münsterland - Kompetenzzentrum für Bildung zur nachhaltigen Entwicklung V. Germany
- Scoala Gimnaziala Buciumeni Romania
- Casa Corpului Didactic Dambovita Romania
- DAUGAVPILS UNIVERSITATE Latvia
- Italian Association for Sustainability Science Italy
- VYTAUTO DIDZIOJO UNIVERSITETAS Lithuania
- THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH United Kingdom
- UNIVERZITA KARLOVA Czech Republic
- Daugavpils Valsts gimnazija Latvia
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
Involved departments:
Research team:
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EUROSTAT RME (Eurostat, 2023–2025)
Updating, application, and further development of models to estimate raw material equivalents (RME models)
The project quantifies the EU's material footprint, which is then published on Eurostat's official website. We developed the method we use more than ten years ago and are still refining it and updating the results.
Project period: 2023-2025
Financial support: Eurostat
Project description: The project quantifies the EU's material footprint, which is then published on Eurostat's official website. We developed the method we use more than ten years ago and are still refining it and updating the results. That is why our consortium has been awarded this small grant every three years so far.
Role of CUEC in the project: Disaggregation of the Figaro MRIO dataset for the EU to the level of 182 product groups.
Project partners: IFEU
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
Involved departments:
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FE3M (GACR EXPRO, 2019–2023)
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.
Project period: 2019–2023
Financial support: Czech Science Foundation
Project description:
Czech Science Foundation selected three projects in the field of social research in the whole Czech Republic as part of the excellence in basic research. One of these projects is this project “Frontiers in Energy Efficiency Economics and Modelling – FE3M”.
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. We use both revealed and stated preferences, investigating their validity where appropriate. Standard bottom-up and topdown modelling tools are enriched to better represent household behaviour. We focus on the uptake and use of energy efficient technologies, the welfare effects associated with environmental burden and the health externalities that energy production and energy use cause. We develop several hybrid models utilizing Agent Based Modelling, Energy System Optimisation, Computable General Equilibrium, Environmentally-Extended Multi-Regional Input-Output, and Impact Pathway Analysis, integrated in a comprehensive modelling tool.
Role of CUEC in the project:
The aim of the project is to improve the economic modeling of consumer preferences and behavior related to the use of energy efficient technologies and flexible demand. Behavioral research will be based on several original surveys that we will conduct throughout the project. Top-down and bottom-up approaches will be used to develop a hybrid model. Standard bottom-up and top-down modeling tools will be enriched to better represent household behavior. We focus on the uptake and use of energy efficient technologies, the welfare effects associated with environmental burden and the health externalities that energy production and energy use cause. We develop several hybrid models utilizing Agent Based Modelling, Energy System Optimization, Computable General Equilibrium, Environmentally-Extended Multi-Regional Input- Output, and Impact Pathway Analysis, integrated in a comprehensive modelling tool. We will organize four scientific workshops and seminars for students and professionals in the early careers. Several scientific papers will be published in the top journals in respective fields and project representatives will participate in international conferences.
Project partners:
- University of Economics, Prague, Faculty of Finance and Accounting (Prof. Ing. Karel Janda, M.A., Dr., Ph.D.)
- Charles University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Economic Studies (Mgr. Milan Ščasný Ph.D.)
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
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Research team:
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GEOCEP (H2020, 2022–2026)
Global Excellence in Modeling Climate and Energy Policies (GEOCEP)
GEOCEP, a new interdisciplinary MSCA RISE project, led by Charles University, is funded by the European Commission. The project will connect the frontiers of climate change and energy economics with state-of-the-art natural and social sciences.
Project web page: https://www.geocep.cuni.cz/
Project period: 2022–2026
Financial support: GEOCEP has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 870245
Project description:
The research project Global Excellence in Modeling Climate and Energy Policies (GEOCEP) is an interdisciplinary project that connects the frontiers of climate change and energy economics with state-of-the-art natural and social sciences.
Starting in March 2021, for over four years, researchers and PhD students will be seconded at one of the top world-wide university and research centers to deploy a worldwide knowledge network over five continents. They will come from six top research institutions in the European Union and sixteen other prestigious institutions in the rest of the world.
Role of CUEC in the project:
One of the project aims is to achieve scientific breakthroughs in creating new generations of models enabling a sophisticated economic analysis. The project will identify institutional and political obstacles to implementing efficient solutions to control for the global carbon externality, investigate an array of effective policies focused on increasing energy efficiency, promoting renewable energy, reducing emissions and related externalities. Researchers will utilise a wide range of integrated assessment economic and hybrid models. These models include the analysis of social and technological innovations, new business and services models, and the need for flexibility in demand to support the energy transition to a zero-carbon economy. We will analyse consumer and firm behaviour, the impacts on the economy, energy use, the environment, and human health.
Project partners:
- CMCC, Italy
- ETH Curych
- London School of Economics
- Toulouse School of Economics
- University of Oxford
- University of California
- Kolumbijská univerzita
- Harvard
- Princeton
- Stanford
- Yale
- Australian National University
- University of Cape Town
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
Involved departments:
Research team:
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Greenhouse gas emissions (CHMI, 2001– )
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.
Project web page: Web pages of the project
Project period: 2001-
Financial support: Czech Hydrometeorological Institute
Project description:
CUEC has been participating on this long-term project on the preparation of the national inventory of greenhouse gases and more specifically GHG from the waste sector. The standardized methodology used by the IPCC is used here for the calculation, bearing in mind he nationally and technology-specific conditions in the Czech Republic.
In this project emissions of methane from landfills, emissions of methane and nitrous oxide from waste water and carbon dioxide emissions from waste incineration are estimated. The results are published annually in the CR NIR (National Inventory Report), which is submitted to the Secretariat of the Framework Convention on Climate Change and to the European Environment Agency.
Project outputs:
Project partners:
Centrum pro dopravní výzkum, v.v.i. (Transport Research Centre)
Ústav pro výzkum lesních ekosystémů (IFER - Insitute of Forest Ecosystem Research)
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
Involved departments:
Research team:
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Identita (GAČR, 2023–2025)
Financial support: Grant Agency of the CR
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
Involved departments:
Research team:
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IP VaV COOPERATIO
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Kohoutková (TA ČR, 2020–2023)
Tap Water or Bottled Water: Barriers and Motivations to Consume Drinking Water
The project aim is to identify motives and barriers to tap water consumption in the Czech Republic and ways to overcome the barriers.
Project period: 2020–2023
Financial support: Technological Agency of the Czech Republic (TA ČR), ETA 3
Project description:
The project aim is to identify motives and barriers to tap water consumption in Czechia and ways to overcome the barriers. This will be achieved through an analysis of bottled water demand and tap water preferences. Consumer preferences and attitudes will be elicited using several waves of representative questionnaire surveys. Recommendations will be made on how to target a tap water campaign (amendment to 98/83/EC) that will be part of preparation of a non-legislative strategy. Another aim is to improve sensory properties of water by developing methodological tools for water supply operators and laboratories.
The team includes economists, sociologists, and experts in marketing and water hygiene. The project links several social scientific approaches.
Project partners:
- Charles University Environment Centre
- Asociace pro vodu ČR z.s.
- Idealab, s.r.o.
- Státní zdravotní ústav se sídlem v Praze
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
Involved departments:
Research team:
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LADEM (TA ČR, 2024–2026)
Laboratory for the design and testing of methodological approaches for developing teachers‘ competences in education for a sustainable future
The project will explore the possibilities of applying competences for sustainable development in the Czech education system - it will provide evidence for considering them as educational objectives, offer possibilities for their assessment as expected outcomes. It will test and reflect innovative educational strategies and methods that contribute to their development.
Project period: 04/2024-09/2026
Financial support: Technological Agency of the Czech Republic (TA ČR)
Project description: The project will explore the possibilities of applying competences for sustainable development in the Czech education system - it will provide evidence for considering them as educational objectives, offer possibilities for their assessment as expected outcomes. It will test and reflect innovative educational strategies and methods that contribute to their development. It aims to link formal and non-formal education, re-orient educational objectives towards sustainability, emphasise the future perspective, offer innovative approaches. The competences for ESD developed theoretically will be put into practice, with identification of obstacles and ways to overcome them. It will thus lay the methodological foundations for competency-based teacher education.
Role of CUEC in the project: Project coordinator
Project partners: Středisko ekologické výchovy SEVER
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
Involved departments:
Research team:
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LIFE-IP: N2K Revisited (LIFE, 2019–2026)
LIFE-IP: N2K Revisited - Integrated LIFE project for the Natura 2000 network in the Czech Republic
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.
Project web page: Web page of the project
Project period: 2019-2026
Financial support: LIFE programme (European Commission)
Project description:
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.
Within the project, CUEC contributes to assessment of benefits provided by the Natura 2000 network to society and evaluates the impacts of the LIFE project. We also participate in several project case studies, and in the design and accomplishment of learning courses for nature protection authorities and infotainment materials on Natura 2000 benefits for stakeholders and for the general public. Our main results will be incorporated in publicly available deliverables of the project and published in peer-reviewed articles.
Project outputs:
- assessment of targeted habitats and species status for at least 95 % of sites;
- conservation priorities set on an annual basis and cross-site comparisons made to optimise resource allocation;
- about 400 annual and 100 multi-annual public law contracts negotiated with land users concerning site management practice;
- implementation of priority measures, evaluation of management effectiveness, and 150 management plans updated;
- management carried out at on at least 1 500 ha annually, with two innovative management practices tested and evaluated in 20 localities;
- assessment of benefits provided by the Natura 2000 network to society, ecosystem services mapped and published, a new methodology used to assess the benefits and costs associated with Natura 2000, and the National Ecosystem Services Platform incorporates these Natura 2000 benefits into decision-making on natural capital management;
- training of at least 400 Nature Protection Authorities (NPA) employees;
- financing analysed and established for Natura 2000 management and the necessary resources mobilised to secure the full implementation of the national Prioritised Action Framework (PAF) for Natura 2000 for the period 2014-2020;
- guidelines for public administration procedures, and recommendations on strategic and planning documents relevant to Natura 2000; and
- awareness raised about the Natura 2000 network and its benefits to society through dissemination activities, including a web tool to visualise ecosystem services, information materials, and the outcomes of three case studies on local Natura 2000 socio-economic benefits.
Project partners:
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
Research team:
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MA21 (MPSV, 2021–2023)
Cooperation of municipalities to improve the quality of public administration using the MA21 method
The aim is to strengthen the institutional capacity of municipalities and regions in the field of STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION based on the MA21 quality management method. Methodological procedures and tools for USCs will be systematically developed (basis for comprehensive strategic management, professional communication with citizens, project evaluation tool, integration of quality management systems, expert evaluation of MA21 procedures and outputs, sharing of good practices). All findings and outputs will be prepared and used for training of municipalities and regions.
Project period: 01/10/2015–30/6/2023
Financial support: The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
Project description: Specific objective: To optimise processes and procedures in public administration, in particular by strengthening the strategic management of organisations, improving the quality of their functioning and reducing the administrative burden; To optimise processes and procedures in public administration, in particular by strengthening the strategic management of organisations, improving the quality of their functioning and reducing the administrative burden; To professionalise public administration, in particular by increasing the knowledge and skills of its staff, developing policies and strategies in the field of human resources and implementing the Civil Service Law
Role of CUEC in the project:
CUEC is responsible for:
- guaranteeing research and a detailed methodological set of model solutions according to MA21 topics, the so-called MOZAIKA,
- preparation of a set of 20 headline quality indicators, draft interpretations,
- management of MA21 experts,
- collaboration on evaluations, participation in events, data evaluation,
- cooperation on training and sharing good practice, participation in events,
- feedback for the project evaluation tool - indicators.
Project partners: Národní síť zdravých měst
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
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Research team:
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MARCHES (Horizon Europe, 2023–2026)
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
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Research team:
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MOSUMO (TA ČR Théta, 2021–2023)
Model support for clean and sustainable mobility in the Czech Republic
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Financial support: Technology Agency of the Czech Republic
Project description:
The aim of the project is to:
- develop modelling tools and consolidate data for complex modelling of transport-energy scenarios;
- use the scenarios to model the achievement of renewable energy and climate protection targets, and to develop data- and model-based evidence for strategic decision-making;
- regularly assess the fulfilment of existing and forthcoming targets and obligations related to RES use and CO2 reduction and the development of clean and sustainable mobility through simultaneously developed integrated bottom-up and top-down modelling of the transport-energy system;
- evaluate impacts on the energy and transport sectors and indirect effects on the economy and
- help to design effective public interventions to promote clean and sustainable mobility in Czechia.
Project partners:
- University of Chemical Technology in Prague
- Czech Technological Platform for Biocomponents in Transport and Chemical Industry
- Research Institute of Agricultural Technology, v.v.i.
- Czech Technical University in Prague
- Charles University
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
Involved departments:
Research team:
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NOx2030 (TA ČR Environment for Life, 2021–2023)
Prediction of emission savings in road transport achieved by application of the selected tax and fee instruments by 2030
The main goal is to design and evaluate fiscal instruments to reduce NOx emissions from transport by 5 kt by 2030 compared to the NPSE-WM scenario.
Project period: Technology Agency of the Czech Republic
Financial support: Technology Agency of the Czech Republic
Project description:
The main goal is to design and evaluate fiscal instruments to reduce NOx emissions from transport by 5 kt by 2030 compared to the NPSE-WM scenario. The subgoals are
- to analyze the preferences of households and individuals for alternative technologies of passenger cars and their transport mode choices,
- to analyze the behaviour of businesses using time-series data on passenger cars and light commercial vehicles fleets,
- to simulate the effect of road charging on heavy trucks by a four-stage transport model,
- to predict the impacts on fuel consumption, direct and indirect NOx, PM and CO2 emissions by the TIMES optimization model,
- to quantify the impacts on the economy by a general equilibrium model and
- to evaluate direct administrative and compliance costs of recommended variant(s).
Project partners:
- Transport Research Centre, v.v.i.
- Mendel University in Brno
- Charles University
- University of Economics in Prague
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
Involved departments:
Research team:
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Pathways towards Environmental Sustainability (GAČR EXPRO; 2023–2027)
Pathways towards Environmental Sustainability
Project aim is to determine the potential scenarios of future development in technology and consumption, which will ensure national footprints of all countries to be within the downscaled planetary boundaries.
Project period: 1. 1. 2023–31. 12. 2027
Financial support: Grant Agency of the Czech Republic
Project description:
Human society risks exceeding the capacity of several Earth system processes, with the potential to cause irreversible environmental change. Nine planetary boundaries have been suggested to quantify this risk, which might in turn been “downscaled” to a national level to motivate political action. However, there is no systematic allocation of responsibility of nations, no insights into how fast we are approaching the boundaries, and limited foresight into actions that affect multiple earth system processes.
In this project, we will explore a range of mitigation options by changing production technology and consumption on a global level. We will focus on the transgressed planetary boundaries from the consumer responsibility perspective. We will further develop state-of-the-art enviroeconomic models, and scenarios of future development. The outcomes will be policy relevant scenarios of potential future development of production technology and consumption within the capacity of the Earth systems and an insight into trade-offs and synergies of potential technical and behavioral changes.
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
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Research team:
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PES (MZe, 2023–2025)
Financial support: Ministry of Agriculture, NAZV
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
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Research team:
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RCE Czechia (2017– )
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.
Project web page: Project web pages
Project period: 2017-
Financial support: Different sources
Project description:
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.
The members of RCE Czechia consider it necessary to enrich the existing Czech educational approaches (used at all levels of formal and informal learning) by integrating methods based on authentic experience with nature, the arts, crafts and vocational work ultimately aiming at a change in lifestyle. In order to achieve this, they will use their diverse knowledge and experience to create opportunities for dialogue, planning joint learning activities and practically focused projects.
RCE Czechia will support sustainability-oriented processes in selected areas and cooperate with numerous stakeholders that have similar goals. The fields of RCE operation will be closely related to the partnerships that enable the utilization of knowledge and experiences of the involved partners to enhance practices in education, regional economic and cultural development. The RCE’s concern with practical issues of local and regional development will allow exploration of economic alternatives that promote green, sustainable businesses which build upon environmental and cultural assets for the benefit of communities and the environment. Support for this development will be realized through education activities, providing expertise, making opportunities for dialogue, and other practical joint activities and projects.
Project partners:
22 partners – look for details on the RCE web page
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
Involved departments:
Research team:
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Rolling Waste (TA ČR, 2020–2023)
Rolling Waste: Environmental and behavioral research of music festivals participants' behavior
Main goal of the project is to reduce environmental footprint of open-air music festivals through change in behaviour and consumer patterns of participants.
Project period: 2020–2023
Financial support: Technological Agency of the Czech Republic (TA ČR), ETA 3
Project description: Reduction in the footprint will be achieved by motivating and educating festival participants about waste prevention and proper separation. The focus is to understand pro-environmental behavior of individuals at mass events. We examine the effect of attitudes, values, social control and impacts of consumption on behavior.
Project outputs:
Open-air festivals are an ideal place where to examine the consumption patterns of participants' behavior. Waste at the festivals is disposed in a controlled manner at a given place and at a given time. Festivals address a well-defined group of the population. Therefore, it is possible to monitor and evaluate the shift in the attitude of each individual and the acceptance of personal responsibility for waste production.
As part of the project, we want to influence the participants of the Let it Roll summer festival during three consecutive years. Thanks to a combination of different approaches - social science (change of behavior patterns), environmental (waste management, LCA analyses), technical (use of mobile sorting line), marketing (Rolling Green campaign) and educational (workshops, information booths) - barriers will be identified and participants will be motivated to try to minimize their ecological footprint within the festival.
Based on the knowledge gained, a methodology will be created that will enable festival organizers to more easily grasp the issue of social responsibility and reduce the impact of festivals on the environment. Thanks to the involvement of the application guarantor, the Festas association, the outputs of the project will be available to all organizers of summer music festivals.
Project partners:
- Charles University Environment Centre
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague / Faculty of Environmental Sciences
- Augiášův chlév s.r.o.
- Beatworx s.r.o.
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
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Research team:
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SEEPIA (TA ČR, 2021–2026)
Center for Socio-Economic Research on Environmental Policy Impact Assessment (SEEPIA)
The project Center for Socio-Economic Research on Environmental Policy Impact Assessment (SEEPIA) aims to establish an interdisciplinary research center, providing long-term expert capacity for socioeconomic environmental research.
Project web page: Web page of the project
Project period: 05/2021-12/2026
Financial support: Technological Agency of the Czech Republic (TA ČR), Environment for Life Programme
Project description:
The project Center for Socio-Economic Research on Environmental Policy Impact Assessment (SEEPIA) aims to establish an interdisciplinary research center, providing long-term expert capacity for socioeconomic environmental research.
The center will develop methods for policy impact evaluation, foresight, and behavioral research and provide support to the MoE and public authorities in policy-making elaborating on the European Green Deal (GD) based on the research of current and expected impacts on the environment, the economy and society. The Center consists of 12 research institutions and universities with broad expertise.
Project outputs:
The SEEPIA project has three main goals:
1. Environmental and socioeconomic policy evaluation.
We will develop quantitative methods for ex-post evaluation and evaluate the effectiveness of environmental policies. We will ex ante evaluate the impacts of the GD, compile macro-econometric and CGE models and use optimization and simulation models, including regional input-output analysis, to verify the impacts of scenarios. We will establish a knowledge transfer hub to co-design policies as a shared analytical database with knowledge transfer among bodies of the strategic cycle chain.
2. Development and application of foresight methods
We will develop foresight methods to identify new trends in the form of development scenarios to map transformation processes in society, research and technologies, constituting assumptions for the identification of current and future socioeconomic and environmental challenges and their impacts.
3. Incorporating attitudes and behavior into the policy-making process
We will develop approaches drawing from experimental and behavioral economics, social psychology and sociology. We will design and conduct behavioral experiments, evaluating the effects and acceptability of policy measures and readiness for structural changes in the direction set in the GD. Periodical sociological surveys on public opinion related to environmental problems will improve understanding of how to communicate complex policies.
Project partners:
- Charles University Environment Centre
- Institute of Economic Studies FSV UK
- Faculty of Law UK
- Faculty of Mathematics and Physics UK
- The Czech Environmental Information Agency (CENIA)
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU)
- DATLAB
- EEIP, a.s.
- Idealab
- Komora obnovitelných zdrojů, z.s.
- Technology Centre of the CAS
- Prague University of Economics and Business
- The Silva Tarouca Research Institute for Landscape and Ornamental Gardening (RILOG)
- Public Opinion Research Centre (CVVM)
- Cambridge Econometrics Hungary Kft
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
Involved departments:
- Department of Environmental Economics and Sociology
- Department of Indicators of Environmental Sustainability
Research team:
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Signalizace (GA ČR, 2023–2025)
Using the theory of costly signalling to increase social status of frugal consumers and strengthen their pro-environmental consumption patterns
The purpose of this project is to study the effects of various types of signals sent by frugal consumption on social status and social interactions. More specifically, by combining the insights from the costly signaling theory and recent findings on perception of altruism and prosociality of people who engage in pro-environmental behavior, we will explore -- through a series of experimental studies--how signaling of voluntarily frugal consumerism can be enriched by pro-social signals to improve social status of consumers and their social interactions.
Project period: 2023-2025
Financial support: Grant Agency of the Czech Republic
Project description:
Although reducing consumption has clear social benefits, frugal consumers are perceived as having low social status, which undermines their pro-environmental motivation and impedes their social interactions. This happens because frugal consumerism is generally perceived as a signal of a lack of skills.
The purpose of this project is to study the effects of various types of signals sent by frugal consumption on social status and social interactions. More specifically, by combining the insights from the costly signaling theory and recent findings on perception of altruism and prosociality of people who engage in pro-environmental behavior, we will explore -- through a series of experimental studies--how signaling of voluntarily frugal consumerism can be enriched by pro-social signals to improve social status of consumers and their social interactions.
Project outputs: We explore how the theory of costly signaling can be used to increase the status of frugal consumers and promote pro-environmental behavior. We will show that enriching consumption with information about the prosociality of consumers will increase their status and motivation for frugal consumption.
Project partners: Emily J. Hanson, Ph.D.
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
Involved departments:
Research team:
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VCSEwiki (2009– )
VCSEwiki – on-line colaboration tool for interdisciplinary education of problems of environment and sustainable development
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.
Project web page: Web pages of VCSEwiki (only in English)
Project period: 2009-
Financial support: Creation and expansion of VCSEwiki was supported in past by several grants and projects.
Project description: 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.
Project outputs: Increasing number of good quality pages.
Coordinator of the project in CUEC:
Involved departments:
Research team:
