Country Comments

The Czech Republic has seen below replacement fertility for the better part of four decades. However its population growth has modestly been increasing every year due to immigration policies that for the past two decades have permitted anywhere from twenty thousand to one hundred thousand new citizens a year. The country has over twice as many citizens than what its current resources can sustain.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) reports the Czech economy remains one of the most energy- and carbon-intensive economies in the OECD due to its strong industrial base and reliance on coal. This brings severe consequences. The mortality rate from air pollution in the Czech Republic is nearly twice the OECD average. Waste management is another big challenge, which, despite progress, remains in urgent need of reform. In particular, landfilling remains the most common waste treatment method, accounting for 50% of waste treated by municipalities in 2016. Tackling urban sprawl is another growing concern. Czech cities are continuing to invest in public transport, but this is counterbalanced by increased car use, exacerbating air pollution.