Decarbonising the EU-s energy system is crucial to reach the 2030 climate objectives and the EU-s long-term strategy of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Based on these Green Deal goals and the current energy situation in Europe, it is highly important to focus on biofuel energy sources. Our research deals with the behaviour of households in the Czech Republic and changes in their consumption habits in the last decades. The main goal of this paper is to evaluate the development of the consumption of biofuels by households for heating purposes, in comparison with the consumption of fossil solid fuels (coal and coke) in the Czech Republic in the period 2010 - 2020. The second goal is to evaluate the influence of selected socioeconomic aspects/variables on the consumption of biofuels. Regarding biofuels, the analysis will focus on biomass for heating purposes, such as firewood, wood waste, pellets, and briquettes. Concerning socio-economic indicators, the analysis will be based on various data, such as GDP per capita, average wage, environmental taxation, environmental subsidies, etc. The authors will work with data published by the Czech Statistical Office, ministries, and other national authorities, as well as data from Eurostat. As a methodology, correlation and regression analysis will be used. The results will show the possible influence of selected socio-economic variables on the development of biofuel consumption by households. The recommendations will be formulated based on the obtained results.

Renewable sources play a crucial role in the decarbonisation process of the current linear economy, aimed at reaching the 2030 climate objectives and fulfilling the EU’s long-term strategy of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. All economic subjects, including households, can contribute to the Green Deal goals. The main goal of this paper is to evaluate households’ consumption of energy sources for heating purposes in the Czech Republic in the period 2003–2020 and depict possible drivers of switching to biomass. For this, various data were collected, such as data published by the Czech Statistical Office, ministries, and other national authorities, as well as data from Eurostat. Concerning methods, data analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis were used. Different models focus on the substitution effect, rebound effect, and behaviour of different kinds of households. The results show a substitution effect connected with the consumption of coal, electricity, and biomass for heating purposes. Many households substituted coal for biomass in the observed period. On the other hand, the environmental impact of such substitution is not significant, as carbon emissions and emissions of other pollutants are stable. The substitution of fuels should be accompanied by technological change, e.g., improvement of combustion boilers. Moreover, households of pensioners are the key economic subjects with the highest impact on biomass consumption for heating purposes. Against this background we recommend policies to support households in replacing their boilers for more environmentally friendly ones.

The primary purpose of environmental policy is a framework, guidance for decisionmaking and actions that lead to a better quality of the environment as a whole and its components. It is also adopted to use the principles of sustainable development, to increase economic efficiency and important social social programs and activities. The aim of this article is to provide basic research information on the causes of the emergence and development of environmental policy in the current period of circular economy. The issue of the circular economy and environmental goals are gradually being promoted in the areas of international politics, and subsequently it is currently possible to include them among the main policy areas of European companies and the European Union as a whole. The aim of this article is to define the area of support for the circular economy from the position of environmental problems and to propose strategies and tools for the correct implementation of the given goals. The goals are based on the action plans for a circular economy, which the European Union is definitely starting to document. The partial goal is to efficiently handle materials and use them for their use. Waste, or its recycling and further use, should also play a role. This can save Europe not only money but also the local environment.

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