Ukraine has made a lot of efforts to increase climate ambition at the legislative level and achieve Paris Agreement goals during the last years. In July 2021, the government approved an updated NDC target for an actual reduction of GHGs. Ukraine committed itself to a 7 per cent emission reduction by 2030 compared to 2019. The first Strategy on Environmental Security and Adaptation to Climate Change was approved and Ukraine has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality in 2060. In recent years, the number of renewable energy sources has increased significantly and, also, the share of renewables in the total balance of electricity production exceeded 13 per cent in 2021.
However, on February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine – an escalation of the protracted war in Donbas and occupation of Crimea since 2014. Since then, in 111 days, tens of thousands of people have been killed, thousands of homes destroyed, more than 200 industrial facilities were bombed, about 40% of all renewable energy facilities were occupied or destroyed, and 20% of Ukrainian territory is now occupied by the Russian military. The war directly hit the agricultural sector in Ukraine, and damaged wetlands, forests, and marine ecosystems, causing irreversible damage. War and climate change, hand in hand, have hit the most vulnerable segments of the population the hardest, which could result in additional casualties.
40 per cent of Russia’s federal budget comes from the export of fossil fuels, which also make up 60 per cent of Russia’s exports. The Russian invasion has not only hurt Ukraine, but also jeopardized the implementation of global climate goals and the world’s ability to adapt to climate change. Instead of an accelerated transition to renewable sources and the development of energy efficiency, countries are looking to replace Russian fossil sources with fossils from other countries. As a result, an increase in oil, gas, and coal production is expected.
Reducing the flow of revenue to Russia from its exports of fossil fuels can play a role in ending the war in Ukraine and prevent future resource-based conflicts. The war has already reshaped global trade in fossil fuels and highlighted our continued dependency on them. Much more acceleration of trade in clean energy flows, finance and equipment is essential to prevent more losses, help reduce a key driver of international conflict, and accelerate the effort to avoid runaway climate change.
For all its present horrors, Ukraine is strengthening its commitment to a sustainable future and continues to support the vision of the EU Green Deal and pathways for green and sustainable recovery. The world needs a clean energy transition, and rapidly accelerating investments in the development of energy efficiency and renewable energy to increase energy security and speed up climate action for every country. To ensure adequate climate action in fragile and war-affected countries, and that climate adaptation is supported at the local level, transparent and flexible mechanisms of access to climate finance should also be developed and supported.
On June 16, at 8.30 am, please join a solidarity action in the main hall of the UNFCCC building in Bonn to highlight the need to stop fossil fuel’s dependency and the subsequent wars and conflicts they provoke.