COP29: Ukraine presents key elements of the updated Low Carbon Development Strategy until 2050

At a high-level event organised by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the results of modelling the ways to decarbonise and achieve climate neutrality of Ukraine’s economy were presented in the Ukrainian pavilion, along with a set of comprehensive policies and measures for the updated long-term Low Carbon Development Strategy of Ukraine until 2050.

Opening the event, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine Viktoriia Kyreieva noted that the new Low Carbon Development Strategy until 2050 would fully comply with the goals and policies of the European Union and the Paris Agreement.

“The updated Strategy will contribute to further transformation of the domestic market environment and its effective integration with the European one, in particular, in terms of the introduction of an emissions trading scheme and the application of the European Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism,” the Deputy Minister said.

Kurt Vandenberghe, Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Climate Action (DG CLIMA), praised Ukraine for continuing progressive environmental reforms despite russian aggression and assured of continued support from the European Union.

Sergiu Lazarencu, Minister of Environment of Moldova, underlined the common environmental challenges faced by Ukraine and Moldova, as well as the need to coordinate cooperation between the neighbouring countries on the path to European Union integration.

More than 15 experts from the Institute for Economics and Forecasting of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine were involved in the preparation of the updated Strategy with the support of UNDP under the global Climate Promise initiative.

According to the results of comprehensive modelling, achieving climate neutrality by 2050 is entirely possible in an economically feasible and socially acceptable way, even taking into account the devastating consequences of the war. The right choice and timely implementation of climate, economic, energy, and social policies and measures will help avoid negative impacts and reap double dividends from the green transition.

A broad public discussion of the draft Strategy will continue after the COP29 with various stakeholders at both the national and international levels.