Bridging fragmentation: Czechia’s coordinated approach to local climate planning

Czechia’s local governance structure is unique in the European context. The country has more than 6,200 municipalities, one of the highest numbers in the EU. What makes this structure distinctive is the very high share of small municipalities with their own elected local governments. In fact, a significant proportion of municipalities have fewer than 200 inhabitants, representing over one fifth of all municipalities. Beyond these very small settlements, the vast majority of Czech municipalities have fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand residents. This fragmented settlement pattern creates both challenges and opportunities: while local governance remains very close to citizens, smaller municipalities often face limited administrative and technical capacity, which makes targeted national support for climate planning particularly important.

Yet for many towns, especially smaller ones, creating such a climate action plan can be overwhelming. Limited staff capacity, lack of data and technical complexity remain major barriers. 

This is why the Ministry of the Environment has established dedicated funding to support municipalities in developing Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAPs), following the EU Covenant principles and integrated approach. A total of 3 million euros has already been earmarked to support local authorities in preparing those plans, with a further 6.2 million euros available through the 2025-2026 funding call.

Fragmentation is also evident across the portfoliosof  several ministries, where some topics covered in SECAPs overlap across multiplel strategic documents.

While the previous funding calls were open to individual municipalities and supported the financing of a full time or part time position within the municipal administration, the current funding call focuses on integrating the Local Energy Concept (MEK) previously introduced by the Ministry of Industry as part of the REPowerEU initiative into the SECAPs. The SECAP+ new approach includes more detailed analysis of the local energy system, covering energy consumption, supply and project pipelines, while strengthening the focus on energy security and energy self-sufficiency. In addition, the SECAP measures need to be elaborated in sufficient detail to provide the best possible basis for subsequent project preparation and implementation.

Building capacity on the ground: integrating planning with advisory support

With the integration of the Local Energy Concept , the SECAP became the core planning instrument within a broader system of energy advisory support for municipalities. The current funding which supports SECAP preparation, is part of a wider package aimed at strengthening local energy expertise and governance. 

Alongside this call, Czechia has supported the establishment of regional energy centres and the training of energy managers. While one part of the programme targets households, another focuses on regional energy managers working with municipalities. They provide technical guidance on SECAP development, facilitate data collection and help translate strategic plans into concrete projects.

This approach ensures that municipalities can not only design SECAPs, but also access the expertise needed for implementation. At present, this expertise mainly covers the energy dimension of SECAPs. 

Designed for small municipalities: funding schemes that enable cooperation and quality

The current funding call is specifically designed to reflect the fragmented structure of Czech municipalities and therefore targets territories with at least 3,000 inhabitants, encouraging cooperation among smaller municipalities. 

Recognising that many Czech municipalities are too small to apply individually, the call explicitly supports various forms of inter-municipal cooperation, such as associations of municipalities or local action groups, enabling them to jointly prepare SECAPs and overcome capacity limitations. 

Financial support ranges from 20,000 to 62,000 euros depending on the size of the municipality, with additional bonuses for joint projects and for municipalities formally engaged in the EU Covenant of Mayors. 

The call also introduces an important quality requirement: municipalities must work with a certified energy manager or ensure that their staff undergo a specialised training, provided free of charge. This strengthens local capacities for both planning and implementation of energy-related actions. 

This combination of targeted eligibility criteria, financial incentives and mandatory technical expertise ensures that SECAPs are not only prepared, but are also realistic, high-quality and ready to be translated into concrete projects.

Lessons learnt and next steps

The Czech experience highlights the importance of adapting climate governance tools to national and local realities. One key lesson is that a highly fragmented municipal structure requires tailored support mechanisms. For small municipalities, inter-municipal cooperation is essential.

Another important lesson is the need to better integrate overlapping policy agendas. Bringing climate and energy planning together into a single framework (SECAP+) has helped reduce duplication, improve clarity for municipalities, and strengthen the link between strategic planning and practical implementation. At the same time, ensuring sufficient technical depth—particularly in the design of measures—has proven crucial for turning plans into bankable projects.

The experience also underlines the value of combining funding with advisory support. Financial incentives alone are not sufficient; municipalities need access to expertise. The establishment of regional energy centres and the role of trained energy managers have been key to bridging the gap between strategy and implementation.

At the same time, Czechia recognises that the current SECAP+ framework is particularly robust in its energy dimension. This is seen as a deliberate first step towards a broader objective: ensuring that the entire scope of SECAP—covering both mitigation and adaptation—receives comparable, structured expert support for municipalities at the national level.

Looking ahead, Czechia aims to further expand the number of municipalities engaged in climate planning, while continuing to strengthen implementation capacity. This includes improving access to data, broadening the advisory system beyond energy to fully cover climate adaptation, and further supporting cooperation among municipalities.

The next phase will focus on ensuring that SECAPs evolve into fully operational investment pipelines, enabling municipalities to systematically prepare and implement projects that contribute to climate neutrality, energy security, and resilience.

“Municipalities want to act, but they often need guidance and confidence. Our role is to make climate planning accessible and practical“ says Pavla Lukešová from the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic.

Czechia

Area covered: National - 78,899km²

Population: 10,8 million

Key figures

• 274 Covenant of Mayors signatories in Czechia representing 31% of the population (June 2026)
• 3 million euros used for funding the preparation of SECAPs by 2024
• 6.2 million euros available under the 2025-2026 call

Overall CO₂ emission reduction target:

• -55 % GHG emissions reductions by 2030
• Climate neutrality by 2050

Related links

Pakt starostů a primátorů pro klima a energii | Ministerstvo životního prostředí

Detail výzvy – NPŽP

Czech Republic Country Profile