Government adopts series of decisions on environmental protection at thematic meeting

On 25 September, a thematic meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine was held, dedicated to environmental protection issues, during which a series of decisions were adopted regarding the state subsoil fund, CO₂ emissions, prevention of industrial pollution, emissions monitoring, and environmental control.

In particular, a resolution was adopted on updating the Classification of Reserves and Resources of Mineral Deposits in the State Subsoil Fund. The document aligns the national system for calculating and accounting reserves with European Union norms. This creates conditions for re-evaluating strategic and critical raw materials according to standards understandable to investors, and enables more effective preparation of sites for auctions and production-sharing agreements.

A resolution was also adopted, which provides for the mandatory indication of fuel consumption and CO₂ emission volumes when selling new passenger cars. From now on, buyers will have clear information on how economical the car is and how it impacts the environment. This is an established practice in the European Union for over 20 years.

The Government continues work on reforming the prevention of industrial pollution. Thus, a resolution was adopted, the implementation of which will strengthen control over industrial emissions, reduce negative impacts on the environment and public health, and facilitate Ukraine’s fulfilment of international environmental obligations and approximation to EU standards. This involves amendments to the criteria for assessing the degree of risk from economic activities, as well as defining the frequency of planned state oversight measures.

At the same time, the Government adopted a resolution that establishes the procedure for transferring real-time emissions monitoring results. It is envisaged that operators of installations will transmit data obtained from automated measurement systems directly to the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture and the State Environmental Inspectorate. This will improve the state’s environmental control system, while for businesses, it will reduce risks of misunderstandings with oversight bodies, among other benefits.

In addition, the Government is launching an experimental project to introduce preventive measures in the field of environmental protection. The new approach involves transitioning from an outdated state environmental control system to a preventive one, incorporating modern forms of control and the use of state-of-the-art equipment. Pilot projects provide for the creation of environmental control points in the territories of three districts (six regions). Such a decision creates an effective tool for protecting the environment and natural resources in real time.