BUSINESS

Even if the Change Is Challenging

and Costly, It Is the Right Way To Go,

Ask Jan Czudek

The European Green Deal is the strongest policy of the current EU. It responds to climate change

and the worsening environment in Europe as well as worldwide. The goal of the EU is that, by 2050,

no greenhouse gas emissions are produced. What does it mean to traditional Czech industries?

We asked a representative of the greatest company in the Moravian-Silesian Region, the CEO of

Třinecké železárny a.s. (Třinec Ironworks), Jan Czudek.

Text:

David Sventek

Foto:

Třinecké železárny a.s.

Moravskoslezský kraj

www.prumyslnicimsk.cz

How do you see the ambition of the EU in lowcarbon economics? Is the new European strategy

feasible?

It is ambitious, no doubt. Brussels quite easily sets

great goals although general European agreement

is not that easy. To achieve zero carbon emissions in

an industrial enterprise which has grown upon coal

energy is impossible with current technologies. It is

obvious that the thirty years to come will bring much

innovation in clean energy and new alternatives for

fossil fuels will be sought, yet it will not be easy and

it will be very expensive, too. The Czech Republic

has limited potential in power plants using renewable

resources. We have no shores to make use of the wind,

42 ǀ POSITIV 3/2020

no high mountains to use the energy of running water,

we do not have enough sunny days to make full use of

photovoltaic power plants. For many years, our power

mix will still depend on coal, gas, and the atom, but, step

by step, clean energies will gain in importance.

Do you commit to the changeover to a low-carbon

economy? Among others, I mean the Initiative of

Industrialists of the Moravian-Silesian Region.

Yes, that is right. We and the other seven greatest

industrial companies of the Moravian-Silesian Region

came to this agreement. We represent companies with

a total annual turnover of over 123 billion CZK, and with

over 26,000 employees.