Klimatická žaloba – co dál ? (Climate action – what’s next?)
training workshop/round table discussion
28 February 2023 (Masaryk University)
The event was designed as part round table discussion to introduce the relevant topics, part interactive training workshop. Its aim was to introduce participants to general trends in climate law and then to address measures taken in sub-areas, particularly in the transport and energy sectors. Part of the programme was also devoted to the drafting of climate laws. In particular, the discussion part focused on access to judicial protection and the recent judgment of the Czech Supreme Administrative Court of 20 February 2023, No. 9 As 116/2022-166, in Klimatická žaloba Case. The Court overturned and partially annulled the judgment of the Prague Municipal Court and referred the case back to the first instance court. According to the Court, the collective commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, which the EU adopted in 2020 pursuant to Article 4(16) of the Paris Agreement, does not imply an individual commitment by the Czech Republic in the same amount. The specific distribution of the obligations to Member States is currently still subject to legislative and political negotiations. The Court provided an analysis of the international, EU and domestic law to conclude there is no basis for such precise and far-reaching obligation.
The speakers of the event included representatives or employees (in their personal capacity) of the Ministry of Environment (Daniel Slovák), Klimatická žaloba (Martin Abel), Czech Academy of Sciences (Hana Müllerová), Frank Bold attorneys (Laura Otýpková), Commenius University in Bratislava (Matúš Michalovič) and Masaryk University (Vojtěch Vomáčka, Jiří Vodička, Martin Švec).
46 university students participated in the event and 4 other participants who do not qualify for the project.