Engaging international business to support environmental reforms and Ukraine’s green recovery: Svitlana Grynchuk

Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine Svitlana Grynchuk held a meeting with John Denton, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and Gennadiy Chyzhykov, President of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“Just a month ago, at the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, we had a constructive dialogue with Ukrainian businesses about the progress of environmental reforms and ways to balance them with economic development. Now, we are scaling up our cooperation with international business,” the Minister emphasised.

According to her, in the context of recovery, Ukraine values the expertise of global leaders in ESG, climate technologies, and the circular economy. The ICC can be a reliable partner in communicating Ukraine’s needs to the global business community and donors, as well as promoting international recognition of Ukraine’s green initiatives. Ukraine’s ambitious goal is to achieve climate neutrality, and it is crucial to implement new low-carbon climate technologies across all economic sectors during recovery.

“Currently, Ukraine is developing a draft law on ‘green recovery,’ which will establish criteria for evaluating and selecting ‘green’ projects to be funded through international aid and a climate fund. This law will provide a foundation for transparent investment attraction and stimulate economic transformation. We plan to soon submit it for public discussion, including with the business community,” Svitlana Grynchuk explained.

The Minister also discussed opportunities for attracting investment through voluntary carbon markets. Under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, Ukraine has already secured cooperation agreements with Switzerland and Japan, with negotiations ongoing with Singapore. Voluntary carbon markets represent a new but highly promising direction for Ukraine.

The conversation also touched on preparations for participation in the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference (COP) in Brazil. The COP serves not only as a platform for global political decisions but also as an opportunity to attract new investments.

“I thank my colleagues from the International Chamber of Commerce and the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the constructive dialogue. I am confident that this cooperation will yield results in the form of implemented ‘green’ projects, ultimately contributing to a transformed, rebuilt Ukraine that confidently moves toward sustainable development,” Svitlana Grynchuk noted.