December 12, 2011, Durban (South Africa) - during the international climate negotiations in South Africa, countries agreed on the second commitment period of Kyoto Protocol. Also, countries agreed to adopt a new legal agreement on climate change, which oblige most countries to reduce emissions of pollutants. Agreements reached in international negotiations in Durban, is a step forward, but humanity is still on the way to catastrophic growth temperature on the planet because of insufficient commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Ukraine together with other 34 countries agreed on the second commitment period of Kyoto Protocol, which will come into force on 1 January
2013. But so far it is unknown for how long the second period of commitments will last: 5 or 8 years. The countries must submit to the Secretariat of the Convention GHG emission reduction targets for the second commitment period by May 1, 2012. Meanwhile, Russia, Canada and Japan officially refused to join the second period of Kyoto Protocol.

For Ukraine, the consent for the second period of the Kyoto Protocol means that flexible mechanisms of the Kyoto protocol will be saved (namely, JI projects and emissions trading). However, Ukraine's green house gas emissions targets and the possibility to transfer unused quotas in the future remains as a questionable issue.

"Environmental organizations support Ukraine's decision to join the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, and the announcement that our state is ready to take more ambitious commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But Ukraine has to prove its good intentions into practice. Our state should at least agree to stop the growth of greenhouse gases at the current level by 2020, because announced today, provides a significant increase in emissions. The ambitious goals of each country are essential for keeping the growth of temperature on the planet "- says Christina Rudnytska, coordinator of the Climate Change Program of the National Ecological Center of Ukraine.

The new working group that will work on a new legal agreement was also formed during the talks. Under this agreement, all countries, including the world's worst polluters U.S., China and India, will be obliged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The new agreement must be agreed upon by all countries no later than 2015, and has to come into force from 2020.

Independent experts emphasize that during the negotiations the countries once again put off "for later" the most important question on the aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"Now climate regime is more similar to a voluntary agreement which reserves for decades reduction of carbon emissions. Delays in real and rapid decrease in emissions could lead to crossing the "threshold" at 2 degrees Celsius and potentially lead to disaster "- says Kumi Naido (KumiNaido), executive director of Greenpeace International.

The world is on the way to raising the temperature more than on 3 degrees Celsius due to weak commitment to reduce emissions, declared by the countries. The scientists concluded after negotiations, it will lead to significant negative consequences for humanity, in particular, to the melting of permafrost, degradation of coral reefs, the possible degradation of tropical forests in the Amazon, increasing the frequency and intensity of natural disasters and others. The cost of overcoming the negative effects of climate change will also increase.

* For more information please contact: * / Christina Rudnytska, / Program Coordinator on Climate Change National Ecological Centre of Ukraine
044 353 78 42
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

/ Andriy Martynyuk, /
Chair of the Working Group of NGOs on climate change, * is now in negotiations in Durban, South Africa, * tel 362 32 18

The UN conference on climate change starts in South Africa. Will Ukraine's position  contribute to solving global problems? The assessments of officials and independent experts are different. Ukrainian version can be found here....

October 26-28, 2011 - Fourth international conference of the Russian social ecological union: Public participation in the implementation of national policy in climate and energy spheres (Strelna, Saint Petersburg, Russia).

Presentation (in Ukrainian):

“Climate change policy in Ukraine. Public participation in climate change policy implementation”.

State Environmental Investment Agency (SEIA) in cooperation with the World Bank and the Fund of environmental investments organized a round table to discuss the creation and implementation of carbon market in Ukraine (Kyiv on October, 18, 2011). Representatives of government, international financial institutions, EC Delegation in Ukraine, the public and experts were invited for the discussion.

Opening remarks were presented by Mrs T. Suluhiya (World Bank program coordinator) and Mr. S. Orlenko (Chairman of the SEIA) who expressed positive attitude towards the initiative to develop and implement emission trading system (ETS) in Ukraine.

Issues that were discussed during the round table: Social-economic development of Ukraine – priorities of economic modernization; strategy of low carbon growth in Ukraine; the state's role in providing a national carbon market operation; the draft law of Ukraine "On regulation of energy efficiency"; international organizations support of Ukraine’s initiatives on establishing a carbon market; role of the public in creating a carbon market; partnership for market readiness (PMR).

Social-economic development of Ukraine: priorities of economic modernization (speaker J. Zhalilo, 1- deputy director of the National Institute for Strategic Studies)

Positive dynamics of key macroeconomic indicators of Ukraine's economy after the crisis "failure" of 2009 was emphasized. The issues of slow recovery of domestic production, significant power consumption of the national economy, inefficient use of energy; the need to modernize Ukraine's economy was discussed.

During discussion of this question it was reported that $ 5 million of US dollars from the World Bank will be allocated for implementation of the main basic components of the system of emissions trading, to develop a national plan of distribution of quotas, a system of monitoring, reporting and verification in Ukraine.

The issue of Ukraine’s low carbon growth (Speaker A. Gassan-Zade, an international expert)

It was reported that Ukraine’s low carbon growth strategy will be developed. Such a strategy should combine the priorities in the field of climate change and national economic growth priorities, while achieving reductions of greenhouse gases is not a threat to socio-economic development. Low carbon development strategies in Ukraine should take into account national priorities, such as: increasing of energy independence, energy efficiency, economic competitiveness, job vacancy creation, economic growth. During discussing of this issue the expert said that the rapid introduction of ETS in Ukraine is very unlikely.

The state's role in providing a national carbon market (speaker A. Khabatyuk, head of the GHG inventory department of the SAEI)

It was reported that the obligations of the state at the international level do not stimulate the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in Ukraine. It is already known that GDP growth in Ukraine is not necessarily accompanied by an increase in GHG emissions since carbon intensity of Ukraine's GDP is high enough. The role of the state in reduction of GHG emissions is to maintain renewable energy, support energy conservation, and establish the tax on GHG emissions. The existing tax on CO2 emissions in Ukraine does not stimulate the GHG reductions (in Ukraine – 0,1 UAN for 1 ton of CO2, in the EU - 115 UAH for comparison - 1 ton of CO2). It was noted that sanctions during the functioning of the carbon market must be clearly defined, as well as the registry of GHG should be put into operation. The most important - is the issue of establishing effective emissions trading system, without is the precondition for its linking with any other progressive ETS. The most problematic aspects are: the effective system for collecting, reporting and verification, and distribution of permits for emissions. The most important tasks of the state in creating a carbon market: the creation of effective regulatory field, collecting and processing information, ensuring equitable and efficient allocation of carbon units among market participants, supervision and regulation of the carbon market, the adjustment vector of its evolution with the need to increase energy efficiency and competitiveness of domestic economy.

On the question, asked by the Representative of National Ecological Center of Ukraine (NECU) and Working Group of NGOs on climate change in Ukraine - K. Rudnitska, on the absolute target of GHG emissions reduction in Ukraine until 2020 – there was no specific number named. Also the question of introducing a system of monitoring, reporting and verifying of GHG emissions and concrete steps in this direction was raised, and the public was informed that the reporting system is operating in Ukraine, a system of GHG verification should only be introduce in Ukraine.

Legal analysis of the draft law of Ukraine "On regulation of energy saving" (speaker A. Vasilenko, General Director of "PNBK")

Speaker, who participated in the preparation of the bill, provided the information about the contents of the bill.

Expert Advisory Center "Legal Analytics" (M. Bulgakova) asked a question about establishing a national quota of greenhouse gas emissions in Ukraine and whether other branches except executive power, will be involved in the operation of ETS in Ukraine. Public was informed that the law will not contain the allowable amount of GHG emissions; and on the national level there are enough other bodies and supervisory authorities that can perform the respective controlling functions over the ETS implementation when the system starts working.

International organizations support of Ukraine's initiatives on establishing a carbon market (speaker S. Volkov, UNDP, Ukraine)

It was reported that significant funds to establish ETS in Ukraine will be allocated for this specific purpose. On the issue raised by M.Hvorov – member of the Working group of NGOs on climate chnage in Ukraine, on the possibility of NGOs to participate in the relevant processes, public was informed that it will be possible through public participation in the relevant tender procedures announced by the UN Program in Ukraine, in case of selection, as well as public representatives can be involved as an experts.

Public role in the establishing of carbon market (speaker S. Kurulenko, chairman of the public council to SEIA)

It was reported that the matter of ETS establishing in Ukraine will be discussed at a meeting of public council to SAEI. Currently, the public supports the initiative of adopting a law that would regulate these issues. The public will use the existing leverage and control, under current legislation of Ukraine to execute public control over ETS operation in Ukraine.

Christina Rudnytska (NECU, deputy chairman of the Working group of NGOs on climate change) denied the aspect of the public support of the draft law "On regulation of energy saving", because, first of all, this issue was not discussed at public meeting and public representatives prepared a number of comments and propositions to the law draft, which is far from perfect for an effective ETS implementation in Ukraine.

Partnership for market readiness (PMR) (speaker C. Underwood, Consultant, World Bank)

It was reported that the partnership for market readiness (PMR) to create the preconditions for the introduction of ETS allocated significant funds (from 3 to 10 million U.S. dollars) in different countries. This global partnership provides funding in grants for capacity building and serves as a platform for the pilot implementation of market instruments in reducing GHG emissions. PMR measures include: assessment and training, technical components, institutional components and pilot testing of market instruments.