With a population of around 42 million (2019) and CO₂ emissions per capita of 4.47 mt, Ukraine is one of the most energy-intensive economies in Europe. The largest GHG emissions in Ukraine are place in the energy sector – around 66%. As an Annex I Party to the UNFCCC, Ukraine had already a commitment until 2020 to reduce its GHG emissions levels by 20% below 1990 levels. Ukraine’s First Nationally Determined Contribution set a new target to cap GHG emissions at 60% of 1990 GHG emission levels in 2030.

Air temperatures rise in Ukraine is ahead of global trends, hence in Ukraine there is a likelihood of potential shifts in agricultural zones leading to marked water deficiencies, which can compromise the country’s food security and economic growth. Ukraine is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and has identified agriculture, water resources, energy, transportation, health, the urban environment and forests, and coastal zone management as key adaptation priorities.

Ukraine’s climate change provisions are scattered amongst several laws, resolutions and governmental decrees. The Law (2010) on the Main Principles (strategy) of the State Environmental Policy of Ukraine until 2020 envisages, among other things, the development and phased implementation of a national action plan to mitigate climate change for the period up to 2030. Ukraine adopted a 2020 National Renewable Energy Action Plan in 2014, which sets a target to increase Ukraine’s share of renewables to 11% of total final energy consumption by 2020. In 2018 Ukraine adopted its 2050 Low Emission Development Strategy. The Law “On the Principles of Monitoring, Reporting and Verification of Greenhouse Gas Emissions” will enter into force on 1 January 2021. The National Designed Authority in the climate change area is the Ministry of Energy and Environmental Protection of Ukraine.

Climate policy development and advancing cooperation with EU in Ukraine

EU4Climate key policy interventions and expected impact

By submitting to UNFCCC its long-term Low Emission Development Strategy, the Government of Ukraine demonstrated its commitment to the implementation of its Nationally Determined Contribution and the requirements of the Paris Agreement and the Climate Action SDG.  The Strategy is overall in line with the EU climate acquis. According to the Strategy, the indicative GHG emissions reduction target is 31 – 34% by 2050 (compared to 1990 levels). If implemented, the targets would be far more ambitious than the current commitment under the Paris Agreement. Ukraine reporting under the UNFCCC follows the stringent rules for developed countries. However, as a country with an economy in transition, and possessing insufficient capacity to meet the challenges of the transition to low-emission and climate resilient development, it is eligible for international climate change support.

EU4Climate Action, funded by the European Union, aims to support the development and implementation of climate-related policies by the Eastern Partnership countries. In Ukraine specifically, a main component of the project is the development of a National Adaptation Plan, and mainstreaming climate change into the energy and transport sectors. A robust domestic emissions monitoring, reporting and verification system will be established, to inform the government and the international community of the progress of its NDC implementation. The project supports Ukraine’s national MRV system to meet the requirements of the Paris Agreement.

Throughout the project EU and best international practices will be applied, including some alignment with EU acquis included in bilateral agreements and Energy Community Treaty on Climate Action.

The EU4Climate project’s substantial activities started in Ukraine in the second half of 2019, with some initial activities relating to the development of a National Adaptation Plan and aligning of the national climate change legislation with the EU acquis performed in 2019 and a number of the planned activities were moved to 2020.