By KYIV. Oct 23 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Climate Office, opened with the support of the European Union and the International Climate Initiative (II), will operate 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 opened by Minister of Natural Resources of Ukraine Ruslan Strilets, European Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius and Federal Minister of the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection of Germany Steffi Lemke as part of the International Conference “United for Justice. United for Nature”, held on October 20-21 in Kyiv.
It will support the Ukrainian government in implementing climate policy, help regions and businesses implement decarbonization and adaptation projects, and will also become a tool for attracting green finance for Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction. In addition, the office will be one of the key stakeholders promoting Ukraine’s cooperation under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and joining the international carbon market, and will be involved in the development of the emissions trading system in Ukraine.
According to Strilets, quoted in the report, this is the last link that will complete the development of climate control in Ukraine.
“Today, titanic work is being carried out so that our country becomes a member of the European Union and is within the borders of the СВАМ [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 on the ETS market and understand how this market works,” Strilets said, explaining one of the areas of the office’s work.
According to the minister, carbon certificates should be introduced in 2025, which will allow Ukraine and its producers to sell excess amounts of CO2 that were not emitted.
“In 2026, the emissions trading system will be fully operational in Ukraine. For now, we need to verify all available data and show the world our potential regarding free quotas. We are ready to share free emissions and contribute to the global climate track. The support of our partners is important to our country, and we really feel it from the very beginning of our struggle for justice and peace,” the minister of natural resources said.
