The Climate Office, opened with the support of the European Union and the International Climate Initiative (IKI), will start operating in Ukraine, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine has announced.
According to its Facebook post on Saturday, the Climate Office was launched at the International Conference “United for Justice. United for Nature” conference held on October 20-21 in Kyiv, was opened by the head of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Ukraine Ruslan Strilets, European Commissioner Virgijus Sinkevicius and German Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection Steffi Lemke.
It is noted that it will support the government of Ukraine in implementing climate policy, help regions and businesses implement decarbonization and adaptation projects, and become a tool for attracting green finance for Ukraine’s post-war recovery. In addition, it is indicated that the office will be one of the key stakeholders that will facilitate Ukraine’s cooperation under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and accession to the international carbon market, and will develop an emissions trading system in Ukraine.
According to Strilets, this is the last link that will complete the development of climate governance in Ukraine.
“Today, a titanic work is being done to ensure that our country becomes a member of the European Union and is within the CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism). Next year we plan to launch a pilot national emissions trading system (ETS). We will give producers the opportunity to try to make transactions in the ETS market and understand how this market works,” explained Strelets one of the areas of the office’s work.
According to the minister, carbon certificates are to be introduced in 2025, which will allow Ukraine and its producers to sell excess CO2 that has not been emitted.
“In 2026, the emissions trading system will be fully operational in Ukraine. For now, we need to verify all the available data and show the world our potential for free allowances. We are ready to share our emissions and contribute to the global climate track. The support of our partners is important for our country, and we have really felt it from the very beginning of our struggle for justice and peace,” the head of the Ministry of Environment emphasized.
As reported, in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine in early October, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Ruslan Strilets said that he considers it necessary to adopt a law on the national TRS next year in order to implement it in 2025 and thus avoid obstacles to Ukrainian exports related to the entry into force of the CBAM on January 1, 2026.
“If we create our own national ETS that is fully in line with the European one, including the price of CO2 emissions, or integrate our ETS with the European one, then we are not afraid of CBAM at all. Because we will already be in this CBAM within its borders. Now those who want to supply us with products will have to pay. In fact, our task is to move the CBAM border and be inside this project,” Strelets said.
The International Climate Initiative (IKI) is an instrument of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) for international financing of climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation.
A climate office will be created in Ukraine as part of the international technical assistance project of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK)/EU “Development of Capacity for Climate Action,” said Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine Ruslan Strilets.
“The establishment of the Ukrainian Climate Office is an excellent example of support for Ukraine from our long-standing and reliable partners – BMWK and the EU, which will be implemented by GIZ. I invite all countries seeking to contribute to the overcoming of global warming, to cooperate in the framework of this initiative,” – said the head of the Ministry of Natural Resources at the UN climate conference COP27, the words of which are given in the message of the Ministry in the telegram channel.
They clarified that the official launch of the office took place on Tuesday in the framework of the COP27.
As noted, the project will be co-financed by the EU and the International Climate Initiative (IKI) BMWK, and its goal is to provide real assistance to Ukraine in the implementation of climate goals towards decarbonization.
According to Strilz, the climate office will support the Ukrainian government, cities and regions, as well as enterprises and businesses to implement elements of climate policy.
In addition, it will, in particular, help with the decarbonization of sectors of the economy, with the expansion of opportunities for youth and regions on the way to the EU Green Deal and the implementation of the Paris Agreement provisions.
One of the priorities of its activities will be the development and support of special approaches to climate finance for Ukraine.
At the same time, the report notes that according to the latest estimates of the Ministry of Environment and international experts, additional greenhouse gas emissions caused by military action in Ukraine has already amounted to about 33 million tons of CO2, the largest share of which accounts for more than 23 million tons of CO2.
At the same time, according to preliminary estimates, the recovery will account for approximately 49 million tons of emissions.
At the same time, Strilets stressed that Ukraine has not abandoned for one day its obligations to the world community, including those related to climate policy, and has not abandoned its intention to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 65% by 2030.
