On 27-31 May 2024, the 62nd meeting of the Working Group on Strategies and Review (WGSR) to the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution took place in Geneva.

The delegation of Ukraine informed the participants about the environmental damage caused by the russian military aggression, called for an adequate response to these crimes, and invited them to join the implementation of the Peace Formula to unite actions and efforts to restore a safe environment for all.

In their speeches, Ukraine was supported by the representatives of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Georgia, Norway, Switzerland and the United States of America. The European Union delegates strongly condemned the aggression of the russian federation against Ukraine and expressed their solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

The main work of the Working Group was aimed at developing a Review Plan for the Protocol to Combat Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone (Gothenburg Protocol) of the Convention, which will be adopted in December this year at the meeting of the Executive Body. During 2024-2026, negotiations will be held to update the provisions and annexes of the Gothenburg Protocol, as well as to develop new flexibility mechanisms to encourage its ratification by other countries.

As part of the update and revision of the Protocol, the following will be considered:

- new commitments to reduce emissions of substances contained in the protocol;

- technical annexes (scope and level of ambition);

- further black carbon reductions;

- consideration of adding new commitments to reduce methane emissions and additional reductions in ammonia emissions;

- new flexibilities for ratification and implementation of the Protocol;

- urgent, collective risk-based targets (health and ecosystems, biodiversity);

- an integrated approach to climate change, energy and air protection policies.

The Ukrainian delegation assured of its readiness to participate in the relevant work, as the revision of the Protocol is an important process. New flexibilities and changes in the Protocol will give Ukraine an opportunity to ratify it, contribute to the objectives of the Convention and become one step closer to Ukraine's accession to the EU.

As a reminder, the Gothenburg Protocol, adopted in 1999, sets strict limit values for specific emission sources and requires the use of best available techniques to reduce emissions.