Ukraine prepares for its presidency of the Carpathian Convention
With the participation of Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine Ihor Zubovych, an expert meeting was held with Pier Carlo Sandei, Senior Programme Officer of the United Nations Environment Programme, during which the parties discussed the status of implementation of the Carpathian Convention and its protocols in Ukraine, as well as preparations for COP8.
The event took place in Zhytomyr at the State Environmental Inspection of the Polissya District, represented by its head, Yevhen Medvedovskyi, acting head of the State Environmental Inspection of Ukraine, Oleksandr Subbotenko, as well as representatives of the expert community and the public.
The participants visited the atmospheric air laboratory, discussed the European Commission's assessment of the implementation of EU environmental legislation in Ukraine (according to the EC report) under Section 27, noting the high level of compliance of Ukraine with European requirements, and emphasised the importance of proper preparation of state institutions for the Eighth Conference of the Parties to the Carpathian Convention (COP8). The event is scheduled for the end of 2026.
After COP8, Ukraine will begin its year-long presidency of the Convention, which means the following:
chairing official and expert events of the Convention,
determining priorities for joint action,
and initiating new environmental projects.
The presidency will provide Ukraine with an opportunity to strengthen its regional leadership in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development of the Carpathians.
"Ukraine is consistently bringing its environmental management standards closer to European practices. Such meetings allow us not only to agree on common approaches, but also to strengthen professional dialogue between the state, academia, the public and international partners, as a guarantee of high-quality preparation for our presidency within the Carpathian Convention," said Ihor Zubovych, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine.
Following the meeting, the parties agreed to hold expert meetings on a regular basis and involve representatives of the regions in order to ensure high-quality preparation for COP8. In the near future, the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine will begin the official stage of preparation and cooperation with international partners.
Background information
The Carpathian Convention (Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians) is an international agreement signed in 2003 by seven states: Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Serbia. Its goal is to ensure the sustainable development of the Carpathian region and preserve its natural heritage, biodiversity, and cultural values.
COP8 (Conference of the Parties 8) is the Eighth Conference of the Parties to the Carpathian Convention, the main governing forum of all states, who signed the Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians.