The government is stepping up its work on climate policy: the next step is to prepare a law on greenhouse gas emission quotas, which is important for the implementation of the Association Agreement with the EU
Kyiv • UNN
Ukraine is advancing its climate policy by drafting a law on greenhouse gas emission quotas, which is key to EU integration, and planning the full launch of an ETS by 2026.
Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Ruslan Strilets announced the key tracks of Ukraine's climate policy in the coming years. It is planned to intensify work on Ukraine's ambitious low-carbon strategy, developed before the full-scale Russian invasion.
The plans for 2026 include, together with the EU, the full launch of the ETS (greenhouse gas emissions trading system), the implementation of Directive 87 (establishing an EU emissions trading scheme), and the implementation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement - the relevant financial mechanisms will allow attracting additional funding for the recovery of Ukraine's economy.
This was reported by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources and transmitted to UNN.
Details
At the Climate Office, Minister Ruslan Strilets spoke about the main tasks of Ukraine's climate policy during a meeting with Ukraine's top climate experts, reporting that in 2023 he managed to present Ukraine's climate policy in Brussels and at the COP28.
The following action plan is envisaged to realize the ambitious goals in the coming years:
- 2024: according to the Minister, work on Ukraine's ambitious low-carbon strategy (developed before the full-scale Russian invasion) will be intensified. The draft Law of Ukraine "On the Basic Principles of State Climate Policy" is to be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. The Ministry is also working on a draft law on the implementation of the ETS.
- 2025: We will launch the Trading System in pilot mode and conduct trainings for businesses.
- 2026: According to the Minister, the ETS should be launched together with the EU so that the ETS (a mechanism for regulating carbon emissions at the border with the European Union) does not affect Ukraine's economy. The Ministry of Environment claims that the ETS is an opportunity to help implement Directive 87 and fulfill the Association Agreement with the EU.
- In parallel with the ETS, we will implement the mechanism of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and carbon certificates. These are financial mechanisms that will help attract additional funding for the recovery of the Ukrainian economy.
It is noted that Switzerland and Japan are already ready to become active partners of Ukraine in this area. The participants agreed to meet periodically with the group leaders and synchronize interim results in each of the areas.
Recall
Russia's recent large-scale attacks on Ukraine have released almost 5,000 tons of carbon dioxide into the air . In Kyiv, more than 1,500 tons of pollutants were released into the air as a result of fires that occurred after two enemy attacks. However, there are no critical air pollutant levels in the capital.
UNN reported that according to the Global Carbon Project, emissions of climate-damaging CO2 from fossil fuels such as coal and gas reached a record level in 2023 . So far, the measures taken are not enough to reverse the trend.
