Photo: Press Service of the President of Ukraine
Zelenskiy makes video message at the International Summit of Climate Ambitions
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This year, Ukraine has felt especially acutely the negative impact of climate change, Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted.
Ukraine has ambitious climate targets, the longest of which is carbon neutrality. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the International Summit of Climate Ambitions, which took place on December 12 in an online format. reports press service of the head of state on Sunday, December 13.
“This year, more than 70 heads of state and government took part in the event, who recorded short video messages outlining their states’ ‘new and ambitious’ commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement,” the presidential press service said Sunday morning.
In his video message, Zelensky said that this year Ukraine has especially acutely felt the negative impact of climate change: in a number of regions prolonged drought destroyed crops, in the east of the country there were large-scale forest fires, and in the west – devastating floods.
“Every inhabitant of the planet is already experiencing the breath of global warming and suffers losses due to a passive attitude to climate policy,” he stressed.
According to the president, Ukraine consistently adheres to its commitments to effectively implement the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and international climate agreements.
“In preparation for the Conference of the Parties to the Paris Agreement in Glasgow, we are working on a second nationally defined contribution. On this basis, we consider the target for greenhouse gas emissions in 2030 in all sectors of the Ukrainian economy in the range from 36% to 42% compared to 1990, then there is a 58-64% reduction, “Zelensky said.
In addition to new commitments under the Paris Agreement, Ukraine is also working to improve the mechanisms of state financial support for climate policy, he noted.
“Ukraine also seeks to harmonize its climate policy and legislation with the European Green Deal. We will intensify cooperation with the EU in the fields of energy efficiency, the development of hydrogen energy and renewable energy sources, a fair transformation of the coal sector and the development of a national system of trading in quotas for greenhouse gas emissions,” he said. the president.
“Ukraine’s long-term goal is to achieve carbon neutrality. We will make efforts to minimize the time to achieve this goal,” he added.
Also, according to Zelensky, there is a process of revising the Energy Strategy of Ukraine, which provides for the development of renewable energy, the gradual replacement of fossil fuels, in particular coal.
“We have begun preparing a framework strategy for adaptation to climate change in Ukraine until 2030. The document will coordinate the work of various authorities at the national and local levels. Ukraine is and will remain one of the active and responsible participants in the global process of combating climate change and protecting the environment.” , – stressed the president.
The International Climate Ambition Summit 2020 is dedicated to the fifth anniversary of the Paris Climate Agreement (2015) and preparations for the next UN Climate Conference on Climate Change (COP26) to be held in Glasgow in November 2021.
The event is chaired by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, Chilean President Sebastian Piñera and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
Under Article 4 of the Paris Agreement, parties are required to report their Nationally Determined Contribution every five years, indicating progress relative to their current contribution, and reflecting the most likely ambition and respective capabilities in light of national circumstances. According to Ukraine’s first nationally determined contribution with the Paris Agreement, the country has committed itself not to exceed 60% in 2030 of its 1990 greenhouse gas emissions (or a 40% reduction since 1990, excluding the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry economy “).
Earlier it was reported that the summit of the heads of state and government of the European Union set the task reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% compared to 1990 already until 2030. This was stated by the head of the European Council Charles Michel.
It also became known that in 2020 November became the warmest in the world in the history of observations. This past November was 0.77 degrees Celsius warmer than the November average from 1981 to 2010.
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