This Post was subnitted by Climate Scorecard Ukraine Country Manager Anastasiia Bushovska
Ukraine Seeks a 65% Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions Compared to 1990 Levels by 2030
A National Inventory Report from Ukraine to UNFCCC in 2021 provides the following data: GHG emissions in Ukraine in 2019 amounted to 332.11 Mt CO2-eq., excluding LULUCF. That is 64.8 % lower than in the base 1990 level and 2.3 % less than in 2018. With the LULUCF sector, emissions in 2019 amounted to 332.16 Mt CO2-eq. and decreased compared with base year by 62.4 %, and by 2.5 % compared to 2018.
The inventory data is provided to UNFCCC by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine. The following figure demonstrates the National Inventory System of Ukraine.
Source: Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine. (2021). Ukraine’s greenhouse gas inventory 1990-2019. Annual National Inventory Report for Submission under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol
Ukraine aims at a 65% reduction (issued on 1st of April 2021) of greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990, although the final pledge will be presented only in July 2021. To achieve such a reduction, the plan includes (by sectors):
- Energy:
- Increasing production of energy from renewable energy sources (wind, solar) to 30%;
- Active development of gas generation and storage capacities;
- Reduction of the number of coal power stations;
- Gradual closure of coal mines in combination with transformation of coal mining regions.
- Heat supply:
- Increase of heat production from biofuels by 30%;
- Modernization of central heating system.
- Industry:
- Reduction of carbon capacity and energy consumption per unit of the product;
- Modernization of industrial enterprises according to the best available technology;
- Housing and utility services:
- Thermo-modernization of houses with a rate of 1.3% houses per year;
- Installation of highly efficient boilers;
- Substitute of fossil energy sources with renewables;
- Construction of new houses with close-to-zero energy consumption.
- Transport:
- Increase in electric vehicles by 15% of yearly vehicle registrations;
- Increase in usage of biofuels;
- Development of low carbon public transport: rail and water transport;
- Agriculture:
- Increase in usage of practices of minimum or zero-tillage;
- Transitioning to fertilizers with a slow release of nutrients;
- Increase of area with organic agriculture to 3%;
- Increase in production and use of biogas.
- Forestry:
- Increase of forested areas by 1 million hectares;
- Transition to sustainable forest use.
- Waste:
- Introduction of best practices in the hierarchy of waste management;
- Utilization of methane from solid and fluid waste.
Ukraine Plans to Become Carbon Neutral by 2060
Ukraine plans to reach carbon neutrality no later than 2060. It is not a final commitment, as it will be set after Ukraine makes a final pledge for the second Nationally Determined Contribution. Currently, consultations in the agricultural and energy sectors are done. Also, the current plan and the pledge itself were discussed with the European Union, which supports the efforts of the Ukrainian government towards more sustainable climate emission management. The EU is ready to support Ukraine in creating the system to reinvest emission funds into decarbonization and reduction of energy poverty programs. Finally, the EU also provided several comments for the preliminary pledge. After all the public and sector consultations, the final pledge is planned to be made in July 2021.
Contact
Iryna Stavchuk – the Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine for questions on EU integration of Ukraine. Email: stavchuk@mepr.gov.ua