SHADOW COAL COMMISSION

INTRODUCTION

The Shadow Coal Commission (SCC) is a group of independent scientists, experts and people from regions affected by the mining and burning of coal. The commission was established due to the fact that the Czech governmental Coal Commission does not adequately take into consideration some of the key topics connected with coal phase-out and its substitution in the country’s energy mix. Also, despite previous promises that the governmental Coal Commission would primarily consist of experts from relevant disciplines, it is predominantly composed of politicians and representatives of various special interest groups.

Our goal is to bring balance of diverse voices to the official Coal Commission and complement its neglected or failed responsibilities:

  • We are making a platform for unheeded topics and underrepresented voices.
  • We are creating open space for discussions about transformation needed to overcome the crisis.
  • We are commenting on the Coal Commission’s activities and recommendations.

SCC Position on Coal Phase-out in the Czech Energy Sector

MEMBERS OF SCC

Jitka Češková

Jitka Češková lives in the Pardubice Region near the Chvaletice coal-fired power plant, one of the most polluting plants in Czechia. She has been active in the local organization “Zastavme elektrárnu Chvaletice” (“Let’s Shut down the Chvaletice Power Plant”). Jitka also focuses on climate adaptation measures, especially municipal blue-green infrastructure.

Alexandr Ač

Mgr. Alexander Ač, Ph.D. is a researcher at the CzechGlobe – the Global Change Research Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences. He graduated from environmental ecology and got his PhD. in applied ecology. Alexandr is a member of the Czech Scientists’ Climate Forum and a Chairperson of the IGPB’s Czech National Committee.

Alena Klírová

Alena Klírová grew up in the Most coal region in Northern Bohemia. She graduated from environmental protection and biology, and focused on the issues of coal mining and in the region. Besides being an active citizen, Alena also had experience as a writer for environmental servers and a teacher of environmental education.

Jan Hollan

RNDr. Jan Hollan, Ph.D. is an astrophysicist and environmentalist. He focuses mainly on climate change, light pollution and energy efficiency of buildings. In 2009, he got his Ph.D. specializing at passive houses at the Brno Technology University. Since 2010, he has worked at the Global Change Research Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences.

Iva Zvěřinová

Mgr. Iva Zvěřinová, Ph.D. is an expert in environmental economics and sociology, focusing among others on climate policies and consumer behaviour in relation to the environment. Iva works for the Environment Centre of Charles University and teaches environmental sociology at the Faculty of Philosophy and Arts.

Eva Richter

Mgr. Eva Richter, Ph.D. Eva Richter is a researcher at the Department of Sociology at Charles University where she teaches environmental sociology. Her research interests include public responses to environmental and climate change policies, duality of nature and society and risk in modern societies.

Tomáš Kábrt

Tomáš Kábrt comes from Sokolov, a West-Bohemian city surrounded with lignite mines, power plants and chemical factories. In November 1989, he was one of the founders of the Civic Forum in Sokolov and became its district coordinator. He is active in Sokolovská beseda, a local organization focusing on democracy freedom and environment.

Zdeňka Voštová

Mgr. Zdeňka Voštová graduated from law at the Charles University and University of Copenhagen. She completed a five-year training in psychotherapy and currently works as a certified mediator and gestalt therapist. She focuses on non-violent communication and helps those who suffer from environmental anxiety or grief, and she also raises public awareness of these issues.

Martin Madej

JUDr. Martin Madej, MJur. works as an analyst at the Association for International Affairs (AMO) research centre. He graduated from law at the Charles University and the University of Oxford. Martin focuses on the future of the energy sector and represents AMO at the V4 Energy Think Tank Platform.

Milan Smrž

Ing. Milan Smrž worked at the Energy Institute of the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague for twenty years. He holds several patents and has published dozens of articles. He has been active in the EUROSOLAR association. He is interested in renewable energy sources, their application and future development. Milan has expert knowledge of RES case studies across Europe and various municipal and local initiatives.

Milan Starec

Milan Starec lives in a Czech village near the Polish border, just one kilometre away from the Turów lignite mine. He has personal experience with the negative effects of coal mining and the lack of groundwater which endanger local citizens and their environment. Milan is active in the local movement against the mine expansion and he co-organized writing open letters and petitions to Czech and European institutions.

Ondřej Císař

Doc. PhDr. Ing. Ondřej Císař, Ph.D. is a sociologist and political scientist. He works at the Institute of Sociological Studies of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the Charles University. He is the editor-in-chief of the Czech edition of the Czech Sociological Review published by the Academy of Sciences. His research focuses mainly on political mobilization, social movements and sociological analysis of contemporary democracies.