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03 August 2020, 07:11
What should we do to prevent the climate apocalypse?
Imagine: you need to plant 46 trees to absorb 1 ton of carbon dioxide!
Ukraine is on the second place after Belarus among the countries of the
Eastern Partnership (Azerbaijan, Belarus, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and
Ukraine) іn terms of air pollution level. We get 4.39 tons of CO2 per
person. Everyone should plant at least 202 trees to help the
environment. But will it stop the destruction of the planet?
The world has six months to prevent the major climate crisis. And this is not a fantastic apocalyptic forecast. This is the forecast by one of the world's leading environment experts — Executive Director of the International Energy Agency Fatih Birol.
Governments are planning to spend $9 tn globally in the next several months on rescuing their economies from the coronavirus crisis, the IEA has calculated. According to Birol, the economic stimulus packages created this year will shape the global economy for the next three years, and in the meantime the governments shall do everything possible to introduce mechanisms ensuring sharp and permanent decrease of the emissions, otherwise the climate targets will be unattainable.
“The next three years will determine the course of the next 30 years and beyond”, Birol told the Guardian. According to him, during the quarantine due to COVID-19, carbon dioxide emissions in April decreased by an average of 17% compared to last year, but after the weakening of quarantine surged again to within about 5% of last year’s levels.
In a report released in mid-June, the International Energy Agency set out a global green recovery plan. Governments need to focus on reforms in energy generation and consumption, the report said. Wind and solar energy should be the key, alongside energy efficiency improvements to buildings and industries, and the modernisation of electricity grids.
What is the EU’s environmental policy?
At the Paris Climate Conference in December 2015, 195 countries adopted the first-ever global climate agreement, which aims to limit global warming to below 2°C and to continue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C.
Besides, the European Green Deal is the EU’s plan to make its economy sustainable. It was officially presented by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in the European Parliament on December 11, 2019. The Green Deal is aimed at transforming Europe into the world's first climate-neutral continent by 2050 and identifies the means for that, stimulating economic development, improving human health and quality of life, and transforming climate and environmental challenges into opportunities in all areas and policies.
Reducing CO2 emissions is crucial to achieving this goal, and the EU is working with its Eastern Neighbourhood countries to increase energy efficiency and reduce emissions.
How should Ukraine harmonize its environmental legislation with the EU law?
Ukraine ratified the Paris Agreement in 2016. In addition to the obligations under this document our country also has obligations under the Association Agreement with the EU. Ukraine’s commitments on environmental measures are governed by Annexes XXX and Annex XXXI to the Association Agreement. Under the terms of the Agreement, Ukraine shall control and reduce the impact of industrial pollution on the environment, in accordance with the requirements of Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2010 on industrial emissions.
What should Ukraine undertake to implement the EU Directive on industrial emissions?
• In the area of legislation — it is necessary to adopt laws aimed at protecting the environment;
• In relation to the technical issues — to create a database of polluters. Large industrial enterprises have to implement the best available technologies and management methods to reduce emissions into the environment;
• In relation to organizational and informational issues — to ensure public access to information on emissions, as well as to introduce a mechanism for integrated pollution prevention and control. According to Directive 2010/75/EU, air polluters should monitor the level of pollution and report it on their official websites, as well as provide such information on a daily basis to the competent authorities.
What has already been done in Ukraine to improve the environment?
According to the Report on the Implementation of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU for 2019, the planned measures in the field of environmental protection have been implemented only by 28%. What exactly have been done?
• The Procedure for State Monitoring in the Field of Atmospheric Air Protection was approved. This Procedure aims to introduce a new air monitoring system and basic elements of air quality management, in accordance with the Directive 2008/50/EC and Directive 2004/107/EC.
• A draft law «On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine Concerning Access to Environmental Information» has been developed.
• Laws on monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions have been adopted.
• The Concept of implementation of the state policy in the field of industrial pollution was approved.
How long will it take to reform infrastructure and legislation to meet the requirements of the Association Agreement with the EU on environmental protection?
The implementation of the Concept of state policy in the field of industrial pollution will be carried out until 2028 in three stages.
Expected results:
• industrial pollution, in particular, the emission from stationary sources should be reduced by 22.5% till 2030;
• emissions of polluted wastewater in 2030 should be reduced to 5 percent of total emissions, compared to 15.7% in 2015;
• National environmental legislation will be brought in line with the EU law.
Key tasks for 2020:
• Ukraine should update Annex XXX and Annex XXXI to the Association Agreement (Annexes governing the environmental protection);
• Laws regulating waste management, industrial pollution, treatment of genetically modified organisms, and access to environmental information should be adopted;
• Ukraine has to develop and approve a comprehensive National Plan for Energy and Climate Change for 2021-2030, strategies for adaptation to climate change.
The achievements of 2020
On April 14, 2020, the Verkhovna Rada strengthened the responsibility for air pollution by adopting the law №2339. Ukraine has also joined the European air quality database, and automated process of air quality data transferring from the servers of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine to the European Environment Agency's air quality index system has already started. Ukraine is the second Eastern Partnership country after Georgia, which manages to meet all the technical requirements for organizing the data transfer process.
The role of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU is to review and examine all draft laws, submitted to the Verkhovna Rada and to give a conclusion whether they are in line with the EU law.
The world has six months to prevent the major climate crisis. And this is not a fantastic apocalyptic forecast. This is the forecast by one of the world's leading environment experts — Executive Director of the International Energy Agency Fatih Birol.
Governments are planning to spend $9 tn globally in the next several months on rescuing their economies from the coronavirus crisis, the IEA has calculated. According to Birol, the economic stimulus packages created this year will shape the global economy for the next three years, and in the meantime the governments shall do everything possible to introduce mechanisms ensuring sharp and permanent decrease of the emissions, otherwise the climate targets will be unattainable.
“The next three years will determine the course of the next 30 years and beyond”, Birol told the Guardian. According to him, during the quarantine due to COVID-19, carbon dioxide emissions in April decreased by an average of 17% compared to last year, but after the weakening of quarantine surged again to within about 5% of last year’s levels.
In a report released in mid-June, the International Energy Agency set out a global green recovery plan. Governments need to focus on reforms in energy generation and consumption, the report said. Wind and solar energy should be the key, alongside energy efficiency improvements to buildings and industries, and the modernisation of electricity grids.
What is the EU’s environmental policy?
At the Paris Climate Conference in December 2015, 195 countries adopted the first-ever global climate agreement, which aims to limit global warming to below 2°C and to continue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C.
Besides, the European Green Deal is the EU’s plan to make its economy sustainable. It was officially presented by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in the European Parliament on December 11, 2019. The Green Deal is aimed at transforming Europe into the world's first climate-neutral continent by 2050 and identifies the means for that, stimulating economic development, improving human health and quality of life, and transforming climate and environmental challenges into opportunities in all areas and policies.
Reducing CO2 emissions is crucial to achieving this goal, and the EU is working with its Eastern Neighbourhood countries to increase energy efficiency and reduce emissions.
How should Ukraine harmonize its environmental legislation with the EU law?
Ukraine ratified the Paris Agreement in 2016. In addition to the obligations under this document our country also has obligations under the Association Agreement with the EU. Ukraine’s commitments on environmental measures are governed by Annexes XXX and Annex XXXI to the Association Agreement. Under the terms of the Agreement, Ukraine shall control and reduce the impact of industrial pollution on the environment, in accordance with the requirements of Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2010 on industrial emissions.
What should Ukraine undertake to implement the EU Directive on industrial emissions?
• In the area of legislation — it is necessary to adopt laws aimed at protecting the environment;
• In relation to the technical issues — to create a database of polluters. Large industrial enterprises have to implement the best available technologies and management methods to reduce emissions into the environment;
• In relation to organizational and informational issues — to ensure public access to information on emissions, as well as to introduce a mechanism for integrated pollution prevention and control. According to Directive 2010/75/EU, air polluters should monitor the level of pollution and report it on their official websites, as well as provide such information on a daily basis to the competent authorities.
What has already been done in Ukraine to improve the environment?
According to the Report on the Implementation of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU for 2019, the planned measures in the field of environmental protection have been implemented only by 28%. What exactly have been done?
• The Procedure for State Monitoring in the Field of Atmospheric Air Protection was approved. This Procedure aims to introduce a new air monitoring system and basic elements of air quality management, in accordance with the Directive 2008/50/EC and Directive 2004/107/EC.
• A draft law «On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine Concerning Access to Environmental Information» has been developed.
• Laws on monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions have been adopted.
• The Concept of implementation of the state policy in the field of industrial pollution was approved.
How long will it take to reform infrastructure and legislation to meet the requirements of the Association Agreement with the EU on environmental protection?
The implementation of the Concept of state policy in the field of industrial pollution will be carried out until 2028 in three stages.
Expected results:
• industrial pollution, in particular, the emission from stationary sources should be reduced by 22.5% till 2030;
• emissions of polluted wastewater in 2030 should be reduced to 5 percent of total emissions, compared to 15.7% in 2015;
• National environmental legislation will be brought in line with the EU law.
Key tasks for 2020:
• Ukraine should update Annex XXX and Annex XXXI to the Association Agreement (Annexes governing the environmental protection);
• Laws regulating waste management, industrial pollution, treatment of genetically modified organisms, and access to environmental information should be adopted;
• Ukraine has to develop and approve a comprehensive National Plan for Energy and Climate Change for 2021-2030, strategies for adaptation to climate change.
The achievements of 2020
On April 14, 2020, the Verkhovna Rada strengthened the responsibility for air pollution by adopting the law №2339. Ukraine has also joined the European air quality database, and automated process of air quality data transferring from the servers of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine to the European Environment Agency's air quality index system has already started. Ukraine is the second Eastern Partnership country after Georgia, which manages to meet all the technical requirements for organizing the data transfer process.
The role of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU is to review and examine all draft laws, submitted to the Verkhovna Rada and to give a conclusion whether they are in line with the EU law.