• Energy Research
• 2021-2025close
• 13. Climate action close
• 11. Sustainability close
• Czech close

In the Czech Republic, much attention is paid to the codification of special constitutional water protection and the constitutional right to water. These efforts respond to changes such as low rainfall and more frequent droughts and to forecasts stemming from climate change models. Since 2019, four parliamentary proposals have been submitted, all motivated by the need for greater water protection and prioritization of the public interest in water protection. Two of the proposals explicitly enshrine the constitutional right to drinking water, and rights of access to water, respectively. Water is a limited natural resource and at the same time essential element for the lives of present and future generations. The reason for the use of the constitutional law level may be that it is a society-wide interest, and its constitutional entrenchment will ensure its security and support further steps of the state. Opening up the issue of water protection at the constitutional level sends a clear signal for the need for water protection, but it is not a sufficient solution in itself. Besides that, it is necessary to carefully consider what specific measures should be reflected at the constitutional level and what goals should be promoted at this level. On the one hand, the submitted parliamentary proposals reflect the requirements of the internationally recognized right to water, but, on the other hand, they raise some problematic issues which should be subjected to a wider public debate.

This paper deals with the importance of land use planning in relation to the need to address the impacts of climate change. It then examines the structure of land use planning instruments, specifically land use planning documentation and aspects of its hierarchical organization in the light of the existing and new Building Act. It reflects on the need for the preparation of some mitigation and adaptation measures in a national context. It also assesses the readiness of land and spatial planning legislation in terms of response to climate change through the goals and objectives of land use planning.

The article focuses on the applicability of human rights instruments in the protection against negative impacts of climate change. It follows from the findings that have been confirmed by international human rights bodies on human rights commitments of states in the field of environmental protection. The author identifies the main difficulties that arise for the application of human rights instruments from the specific characteristics of climate change, especially from a global spread of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions by a great number of state and non-state actors and their cumulative effects with emissions from natural sources, and from an unequal geographical distribution and diversity of its impacts. The text then concentrates in more detail on two selected issues of interlinking human rights and climate change: on the time lapse between the causes and consequences of climate change that leads to the need to take into account the interests of future generations within the concept of human rights, and on the extraterritorial character of impacts of greenhouse gas emissions that leads to considering that we need to surmount the current limitation of human rights obligations within the state territory resp. the state jurisdiction. In both issues, the current state of affairs in the theoretical elaboration and judicial interpretation are examined, especially with an eye for future solutions.

Thermochemical conversion of biomass produces solid residue that is further used in agriculture called biochar. Studied biochar was produced in twin-fire two-staged gasifier from waste wood biomass. Heat and electricity were produced together with biochar. Biochar samples were analysed and assessed as a soil amendment. Results were compared to legal standards and voluntary certificate limits. It was concluded that studied biochar meet all criteria for utilization as a soil amendment.