European integration: Further steps agreed upon for the Ukrainian Climate Office
The Ukrainian Climate Office (UCO) is moving into the second phase of its activities with defined areas of focus. These include harmonizing Ukraine’s climate legislation with EU law, developing carbon pricing systems and markets, as well as supporting climate-resilient recovery and mobilizing financing.
Decisions on further work were adopted during a meeting of the UCO Steering Committee attended by Oleksandr Krasnolutskyi, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine, representatives of international partners, and experts.
Participants emphasized the importance of strengthening climate governance and coordinating actions in the context of European integration. Special attention was given to issues of sustainable financing, partnership development, and attracting investments for Ukraine’s green recovery.
The meeting also covered the issues of functioning of the Scientific Council, which is tasked with providing expert support in shaping climate policy and preparing necessary documents within the framework of Ukraine’s European integration course.
“We have agreed with the Ukraine Climate Office on clear priorities and next steps. These are practical matters—preparing the necessary documents, meeting European requirements, and systemic work on climate policy,” noted Oleksandr Krasnolutskyi.
During the meeting, an agreement on the institutional framework of the Ukrainian Climate Office was signed between the Government of Ukraine and GIZ Ukraine. The document establishes the office’s status as a permanent institution. Looking ahead, the office shall provide expert and technical support in the field of climate policy, particularly regarding compliance with EU requirements (Chapter 27), the development of carbon pricing mechanisms—including an emissions trading system (ETS) and a carbon tax—as well as the implementation of solutions for Ukraine’s climate-resilient recovery.
Following the meeting, the parties agreed on next steps within the framework of the Steering Committee and agreed to hold the next meeting in six months.
Background information
The Ukrainian Climate Office (UCO) provides technical support and promotes the development of climate policy, decarbonization, and Ukraine’s European integration in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine.
Currently, the UCO operates within the Capacities for Climate Action (C4CA) project, which is part of the “Supporting Ukraine on the Path to an Ambitious and Integrated Climate Policy (Green Ukraine)” initiative. The project is implemented by GIZ Ukraine on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) as part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI) and is co-financed by the European Union.