Environmental aspects of economic development

Economic activities, especially industrial activities, can negatively affect the environment and deteriorate the quality of life of the population. That’s why sustainable development and its environmental aspects are an integral part of our research. We focus on the relationship between population, environment, and economic activities. In this context, we pay attention to studying mineral extraction and mining and follow-up industrial activities, brownfields, energy transition, and the use of renewable energy sources. 

Our research today focuses on the sub-areas below:

  • Environmental aspects of industrial activities
  • The impact of mining on the regional economic development in relation to the environment
  • Sustainable extraction of minerals in developing countries
  • Energy transition, spatial and socio-economic aspects of renewable energy sources
  • Regeneration of brownfields

Major grant projects

  • DMS (CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/17_049/0008452): SMART technologies to improve the quality of life in cities and regions (2019-2022)
  • TAČR (TL01000110) The future of a rural area in the Czech Republic: Challenges, visions, development scenarios and adaptation strategies (2018-2020)

Selected publications

  • MACHÁČEK, J. (2020): Alluvial Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining in a River Stream—Rutsiro Case Study (Rwanda). Forests, 11(7), 762.
  • MACHÁČEK, J. (2019): Typology of environmental impacts of artisanal and small-scale mining in African Great Lakes Region. Sustainability (Switzerland), 11(11).
  • VAN der HORST, D., MARTINÁT, S., NAVRÁTIL, J., DVOŘÁK, P., CHMIELOVA, P. (2018): What can the location of biogas plants tell us about agriculture change? A case study from the Czech Republic. Deturope, 10 (1), s 33-52.
  • DVOŘÁK, P., MARTINÁT, S., VAN der HORST, D., FRANTÁL, B., TUREČKOVÁ K. (2017): Renewable energy investment and job creation; a cross-sectoral assessment for the Czech Republic with reference to EU benchmarks. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 69, p. 360-368.
  • MACHÁČEK, J., & DUŠKOVÁ, M. (2016): Artisanal Mining in Rwanda: The Trade-Off Between Entrepreneurial Activity and Environmental Impact. In L. Achtenhagen & E. Brundin (Eds.), Entrepreneurship and SME Management Across Africa (p. 225). Springer Singapore.
  • MARTINÁT, S., DVOŘÁK, P., FRANTÁL, B., KLUSÁČEK, P., KUNC, J., NAVRÁTIL, J., OSMAN, R., TUREČKOVÁ K., REED, M. (2016): Sustainable urban development in a city affected by heavy industry and mining? Case study of brownfields in Karvina, Czech Republic. Journal of Cleaner Production, 118, s. 78–87.

Updated: 01. 02. 2022