Distr.

GENERAL

FCCC/IDR.1 (SUM)/CZE

24 October 1995

Original: ENGLISH

(The full text of the report (in English only) is contained in document FCCC/IDR.1/CZE)

GE.95-

1. The in-depth review was carried out between April and June 1995 and included a visit by the team from 2 to 5 May 1995. The team included experts from Kenya and Poland.

2. The team confirmed that the Czech Republic is carrying out its commitments as an Annex I Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. In its first national communication, the Czech Republic has reported, with varying levels of detail, on policies and measures to mitigate climate change, and has followed, as far as possible, the guidelines* established by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for the preparation of national greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories. Moreover, the approved reporting guidelines for national communications were followed and considerable supporting documentation was made available to the review team during the country visit. This additional documentation greatly improved the understanding of outstanding issues relating to the national communication and also corrected some printing and statistical errors detected in the text that was originally submitted to the interim secretariat in 1994.

3. The Czech Republic anticipates achieving a significant reduction (approximately

17 per cent) of GHG emissions by the year 2000, as compared to 1990 levels, through the removal of subsidies and by carrying out the current programme of major economic restructuring. The restructuring of the Czech economy has gradually promoted a more intensive use of energy in several industrial sectors and mechanisms have been introduced to lead to a more economical and efficient use of existing sources of energy. It is widely accepted that attempts to overcome inefficiencies in the use of energy have in themselves provided opportunities for potential reductions in carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, such as through the phasing-out of uneconomical coal-fired power plants. The national communication describes a few so-called no-regrets measures, all of which address CO₂ emission sources. The review team found that these measures were either in very preliminary stages of implementation or even still in the planning stage. Among these the most relevant to a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions levels are the gradual implementation of the Clean Air Act and the entering into operation of the Temelin nuclear power plant. The Clean Air Act sets emission limits to gases other than greenhouse gases and the Temelin plant is expected to generate 2000 MW after 1996 to meet domestic energy demand in view of the gradual phasing-out of inefficient and highly polluting coal-fired power plants. It is estimated that the discontinuation of coal-fired plants and the opening of the Temelin plant will reduce 11,300 Gg in CO₂ emissions, that is, about 7 per cent of total CO₂ emissions in 1990.

4. The team found, however, that if significant changes were to occur and thereby affect some of the present conditions and expectations, the introduction of additional no-regrets measures would become necessary for the Czech Republic to achieve the projected significant ___________________

* See the IPCC Greenhouse Gas Inventory Reporting Guidelines.

reduction in 1990 GHG emission levels by the year 2000. Some of the changes that could be envisaged include a much higher than expected growth in gross domestic product (GDP) in the period up to 2000 based on high energy-intensive industries, postponement of the plans to put the Temelin plant into operation by 1996 and unforeseen difficulties in current attempts to liberalize national energy prices. Another development which may have adverse impacts on emission trends could arise from an uncontrolled boom in private transportation if the corresponding increase in car fuel efficiency were not assumed by the Ministry of Transport. Even though the transportation sector, as a component of GDP, will not increase, it is currently the only sector from which CO₂ emissions are expected to increase by the year 2000 (a 14 per cent increase in emissions being projected for that sector). (The transportation sector is expected to account for 2 per cent of GDP by 2000 whereas it accounted for 3 per cent of GDP in 1990).

5. The Czech Republic has not set any specific national target concerning GHG emissions, although it has been generally stated that it will pursue the stabilization goal expressed in Article 4.2(b) of the Convention. The team was informed that uncertainties associated with the future growth path of the Czech economy prevented the Government at this stage from engaging in more ambitious reduction targets. It is generally accepted that current legislation is at present insufficient to promote effective reductions in GHG emissions motivated exclusively by climate change concerns. The general mitigation approach currently adopted aims at ensuring that existing energy efficiency programmes are implemented and, if conditions permit, enhanced, while no-regrets (and least-cost) measures are gradually introduced.