Czech Prosperity Index 2026 - best result in history

Česká spořitelna and Europe in Data published the 5th edition of the Prosperity Index. The "Environmental Condition" section brings surprising news: the Czech Republic moved from 23rd place (2022) to 10th place (2026) – the best result in the index's history.

Main driver of improvement: CO₂ emissions

- annual CO₂ emissions per capita: 11.7 t (2022) → 8.34 t (2026) = drop to 17th place in the EU

- total emissions: 187.2 Mt in 1984 → 75.6 Mt in 2024 = 2.5× less and with maintained economic growth: GDP per capita $27,918 (1990) → $47,964 (2024) (PPP)

Star discipline: transport

- CO₂ emissions from transport: 3rd place in the EU

- 19% of Czechs use public transport daily = 2nd highest in the EU while having the 7th highest number of cars per capita

Recycling is growing, waste as well

- municipal waste recycling: 33.8 % (2022) → 43.5 % (2026) = 14th place

- waste generation per capita: we have worsened from 14th to 19th place

Achilles' heel #1: Renewable sources

- share of RES in the energy mix: 17.3 % (2022) → 19.2 % (2026), which is the worst in the history of the Index within the EU

Achilles' heel #2: Air pollution kills

- PM2.5 particles: 19th place in the EU (among the worst)

- 4,715 deaths in the Czech Republic in 2024 due to air pollution – even though it is a historic minimum

- PM2.5 directly damage the respiratory tract, weaken immunity, increase the risk of asthma and lung cancer

Drought: a fluctuating phenomenon

- year-on-year jump from 11th to 1st place (shared) – in 2024 the soil was not excessively affected but the long-term trend: drought in the Czech Republic is intensifying

- specific impacts: hops, beer, yields in general = risk for the entire agri‑food chain

What to take away?

1. The Czech Republic has a surprisingly good track record in decarbonisation – the emissions decline since the 1980s is real, not marketing. It started with the downturn of heavy industry after ’89, but the last decade has been about targeted policies.

2. Transport is our core competence. Public transport + high‑quality mass infrastructure = the third lowest transport emissions in the EU despite high motorisation.

3. Two blind spots: renewables and PM2.5. Without accelerating renewables and solving air‑pollution, we will not stay in the top 10. The Supreme Audit Office also shows that current subsidy tools for industry are not working efficiently – money flows, SO₂ and NOₓ emissions are not convincingly falling.

4. For business: climate adaptation is no longer optional. Banks are integrating climate scenarios into loans. A decarbonisation dead‑end = a strategic mistake.

5. Breweries under pressure: hops are long‑term sensitive to drought. Czech breweries already have to address supply‑chain adaptation.

Source: https://www.indexprosperity.cz/2026/stav-zivotniho-prostredi-5/