Geografie 2002, 107, 139-155

https://doi.org/10.37040/geografie2002107020139

Energy, economy and environment in the Czech Republic

Ludvík Kopačka

Department of Social Geography and Regional Development, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Albertov 6, 128 43 Praha 2, Czechia

The author deals in this paper with contemporary situation and problems of energy and power industry in the Czech Republic with respect to the transition processes since 1989. The paper analyses the roots of structural deformations and concentrates itself on some aspects of production and consumption of primary energy resources and electricity. After historical introduction the paper attempts to analyze the core of energy problem, changes of the overall energy balance, special attention is given to the importance, exploitation and environmental impacts of the coal mining and to the crucial crossway between brown coal and nuclear energy by the production of electricity. Conclusion evaluates main results of transition in the energy industry and deduces strategic courses of the solution of the Czech energy as a part of the general economic development.

Funding

This paper is a result of research conducted within a project CEZ: J13/98:113100007 "Geographical Structure and the Evolution of Interaction between Natural Environment and Society".