Ukraine

With a population of around 42 million (2019), Ukraine contributes 0.61% of total global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with CO2e emissions per capita of 8,01t. The energy sector is the most significant contributor to GHG emissions in Ukraine, with industrial processes contributing about 16% and the agriculture sector 13%.
According to the second Kyoto Protocol Commitment Period, Ukraine was obliged to limit or reduce its GHG emissions by 24% below 1990 levels. Ukraine’s first Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) set a new GHG emission target not to exceed 60% of 1990 GHG emission levels in 2030. Ukraine’s updated NDC will include climate adaptation among its sectors.

Air temperature rise in Ukraine is ahead of global trends, hence 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. It has identified agriculture and soil, biodiversity, water resources, energy, transportation and infrastructure, public health, forests, fisheries, cities and territorial communities, tourism and coastal zone management as the key adaptation priorities.

Ukraine’s climate change legislation and regulatory provisions are spread amongst several laws, resolutions and governmental decrees. For example, there is the Concept on State Climate Policy Implementation till 2030 (adopted 2016), the Action Plan to Implement the Concept on State Climate Policy (2017), a 2020 National Renewable Energy Action Plan (adopted 2014), the law “On the Principles of Monitoring, Reporting and Verification of Greenhouse Gas Emissions” (adopted 2019) and the law “On regulation of activities using ozone-depleting substances and fluorinated greenhouse gases” (adopted 2019). In 2021, the Environmental Safety and Climate Adaptation Strategy by 2030 and Action Plan to the Strategy will be developed and is expected to be approved. In April 2021 the Government published a draft NDC2. Ukraine has set the goal of becoming climate-neutral not later than 2060.

Climate policy development and advancing cooperation with the EU in Ukraine

The primary tool for bringing Ukraine and the EU closer together is the Association Agreement (AA), including its Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) signed in 2014. One of the priority reforms in the AA is energy efficiency. The EU contributes substantially to the Ukrainian Energy Efficiency Fund and supports raising awareness for energy efficiency investments. The EU continues providing assistance in gas and electricity sectors modernisation and market reform in Ukraine. It is also supporting the establishment of an independent energy regulatory authority and new gas and electricity laws to improve efficiency in the energy sector. The EU also helps Ukraine in its ambitious transport agenda, and the country has drafted a complex action plan, necessary to improve and decarbonise the transport sector.

- 2014
  - Association Agreement with EU
  - National Energy Efficiency Action Plan
    (NEEAP) (2015-2020)
- 2015
  - INDC 2021-2030
  - Paris Agreement
  - Pledge to Sustainable Developent
    Agenda 2030
  - National Renewable Energy Action Plan
    till 2020
- 2016
  - Ratification of Paris Agreement
  - The Concept on State Policy on Climate Change till 2030
- 2017
  - EU-Ukraine AA fully effective
  - The Action Plan to Implement Concept on State Policy on Climate Change till 2030
  - Energy Strategy of Ukraine (2035)
- 2018
  - LEDS submitted (2021-2050)
  - National Energy and Climate Plans
    (NECPs) working group
- 2019
  - EU4Climate launched
  - Monitoring, Reporting and Verification(MRV) of GHG emissions Law adopted Law on Ozone-Depleting Substances and F-gases adopted
- 2020
  - Secondary legislation on MRV implementation adopted
  - Sublegal acts on Ozone-depleting substances and F-gases adopted
- 2021
  - Second NDC to Paris Agreement (2021-2030) -under development
  - National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) (2021-2030) -under development
  - Environmental Safety and Climate Change Adaptation Strategy by 2030 and Adaptation Action Plan – under development

EU4Climate key policy interventions and expected impact

The proposed targets are more ambitious than the current commitment of the first NDC till 2030 under the Paris Agreement. In addition to specific sectors (energy, building, transport, energy supply, industry, agriculture, LULUCF and waste), the updated NDC includes adaptation and gender-related issues. The background NDC paper was developed to highlight key benefits for each sector from the NDC implementation, the share of needed investments, sectoral challenges and policies/measures to ensure the GHG reduction target. The National Focal Point under the UNFCCC is the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine. Ukraine reporting under UNFCCC follows the stringent rules for developed countries.
However, as a country with an economy in transition, and possessing the insufficient capacity to meet the challenges of the transition to low-emission and climate-resilient development, it is eligible for international climate change support.

The EU4Climate Programme, funded by the European Union, aims to support the development and implementation of climate-related policies by the Eastern Partnership countries. In Ukraine specifically, the project’s main components are the development of a National Adaptation Strategy and further mainstreaming climate change into the energy and transport sectors. The best international and EU practices will be applied throughout the project, including alignment with EU Acquis according to the bilateral agreements and the Energy Community Treaty on Climate Action.

Result areas and timeframe in Ukraine

RESULT AREAS

2019

2020

2021

2022

NDC

MRV System

EU Climate Acquis

Climate mainstreaming

Climate investment

Adaptation planning

The Implementation of the EU4Climate activities started in Ukraine in the second half of 2019, with some initial activities relating to the stocktaking, planning and development of a National Adaptation Strategy and aligning the national climate change legislation with the EU Acquis performed in 2019.

Full country profile can be downloaded here.