"Ukraine pushes for equal access to renewable energy: It's not just for the privileged few!"
Ukraine Aims to Transition to 100% Renewable Energy by 2050
Ukraine, heavily reliant on coal, nuclear, and gas for energy production, is making strides towards a greener future. The new Ministry of Energy and Environment Protection, established after the new President and government took office, has set a bold goal: leading Ukraine towards 100% renewable energy by 2050 or sooner.
This ambitious target is a response to the growing concern over climate change in Ukraine. Over the past two years, climate change has become a more prominent issue, with events like Greta Thunberg's worldwide youth mobilization and extreme weather events such as snowless winters and hotter summers. The concern has been further fuelled by more than 12,000 people signing an online petition demanding political responses to the escalating negative consequences of climate change in Ukraine.
The Fridays for Future movement exists in Ukraine, and the biggest Climate March in Ukraine's history took place in September 2019, with 2000 people demanding a transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050.
The Ministry, headed by Oleksiy Orzhel, believes that the merger of the Ministry was necessary to change the view on environmental protection, considering global trends in climate protection. The Minister has also expressed doubts about completing two nuclear units at Khmelnitsky NPP.
The government's plans include closing down unprofitable state coalmines and focusing on reforming the gas and electricity sectors to meet Third Energy Package requirements. The energy saving potential of the residential sector remains largely untapped, producing about EUR 2,7 billion losses annually.
Energy efficiency in buildings has seen some progress, with the Energy Efficiency Fund becoming operational in 2019. In the first three quarters of 2019, 3.3 GW of renewable electricity generation capacities were installed, which is more than in the last 10 years combined. This growth was due to high "green tariffs" that were replaced by a new auctions system starting from January 2020.
However, the perspectives for renewable energy growth in the next periods are uncertain due to unclear auction rules and the potential for favoring big oligarchic business players. The Law on monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of GHG emissions was adopted at the end of the year, which could help address these issues.
The EU supports Ukraine as a partner in the European Energy Community and the Eastern Partnership. This cooperation aims at integration of energy markets, enhancing energy security, regulatory alignment, and promoting sustainable energy development. This includes technical assistance, capacity building, and policy dialogue to help Ukraine reform its energy sector and align it with EU standards.
In 2018, droughts, floods, and water shortage were identified as major ecological problems in Ukraine, although they were not often related to climate change. Despite these challenges, Ukraine continues to move forward in its quest for a greener and more sustainable energy future. A lack of ambitious targets for the energy system transformation puts Ukraine at risk of missing its chance to align its energy system with the new climate change reality.
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