Information prepared by the Climate Change Division
of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine (MENR)

MENR 2002 major activities

Meeting of the Scientific Technical Council of Canada-Ukraine Environmental Cooperation for 1999-2002

On December 17^th, 2002, the Scientific Technical Council set up under the Ukrainian Management Subcommittee of Canada-Ukraine Environmental Cooperation for 1999-2002 (UMS) completed a review of all final Program project reports. The Council had prepared and submitted its review comments and conclusions to the UMS Secretariat for discussion at the next UMS meeting.

UMS will take separate decisions on approving each project final report under the Program.

Joint MENR and UNDP Conference on COP-8 Results

A press conference on the results of the 8^th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was held on 14 November 2002 in the Conference Hall of the UNDP Office in Ukraine.

M. Basniat, Resident Representative of UNDP in Ukraine, opened the press conference with a welcoming address.

S. Kurykin, Head of the Ukrainian delegation at the COP-8 and Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine, reported on the main results of the COP-8 in the context of the international negotiating process and the preparation of the Kyiv-2003 European Conference of Environment Ministers.

The speech of Minister Kurykin was accompanied by brief reports of the following members of the Ukrainian delegation at the COP-8:

1. Ludmila Musina, Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy ahd reported on the importance of the UNFCCC within the framework of sustainable development consistent with the Millennium Goals, and
2. Vyacheslav Lipinsky, Head of the MENR State Hydro-Meteorological Service had emphasized the importance and topicality of climate change issues in Ukraine.

The press conference participants and attendees received copies of the Minister’s speech at the COP-8 highlighting the Ukrainian official delegation position on the COP-8 main agenda items, the New Delhi Declaration on climate change and sustainable development, and a UNDP press release on major results of the COP-8..

Participation in the 8^th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

The 8^th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change was held from October 23 to November 1, 2002 in New Delhi, India. The Ukrainian delegation headed by Sergiy Kurykin, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, had actively participated in all discussions held during the meeting. The Ukrainian delegation included representatives of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, Ministry of Economy and Embassy of Ukraine to the Republic of India.

Meeting of the Interministerial Commission on Climate Change

The 12^th meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Commission on Climate Change was held in the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on 17 October 2002. The meeting endorsed the Ukrainian delegation position on the main COP-8 agenda items acknowledging recommendations made by other stakeholder authorities and NGOs at the described earlier meeting and taking into consideration a draft action Plan for preparing the necessary documentation on the Kyoto Protocol ratification and the UNFCCC compliance.

Working Meeting for Experts and Public

A meeting related to the preparation for the 8^th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-8) jointly organized by the Ministry Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine and the Climate Change Initiative was held in Kyiv on October 10. Oleg Velichko, Head of the Environment Monitoring Department of the State Hydro-meteorological Service of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, chaired the meeting. Sergiy Kurykin, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, and Dan Thompson, Environmental Advisor of the USAID Regional Mission had made opening remarks.

In his welcoming address Minister S. Kurykin pointed out that the main objective of these meetings that became traditional, is to agree Ukraine’s approach to the main agenda items of the COP-8 (New Delhi, India, October 23 – November 1, 2002) among representatives of other central executive bodies and NGOs for developing a unified position of the Ukrainian official delegation at COP-8 to be endorsed by the Inter-Ministerial Commission on Climate Change (IMC).

During his address the Minister presented the results of the 11^th meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Commission on Climate Change held on 18 July 2002. The following issues were reviewed at the meeting: rational for ratification of the Kyoto Protocol in Ukraine; Ukraine’s compliance with the UNFCCC requirements; development of a draft action Plan for preparing the necessary documentation on the Kyoto Protocol ratification and the UNFCCC compliance; designation of the NASU Institute of Energy as a central scientific support body for developing the UNFCCC compliance measures and preparing the Kyoto Protocol ratification materials under the general direction of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. At this meeting the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources confirmed the environmental advisability of the Kyoto Protocol ratification by Ukraine.

The Minister informed the meeting participants about a draft agenda planned for the next 12^th meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Commission to be held in the second decade of October 2002. In his presentation and discussion of the Ukrainian delegation position Minister S. Kurykin has been focusing on the main issues of the COP-8 agenda.

Dan Thompson, USAID Environmental Advisor, has welcomed the meeting participants emphasizing the USAID readiness to continue U.S.-Ukraine cooperation to assist Ukraine in fulfilling its international climate change related obligations. Mr. Thompson also reported that USAID is going to support the National Conference on Climate Change planned for February 2003. The Conference will gather governmental and non-governmental organizations from all regions of Ukraine.

Vyacheslav Lipinsky, Head of the State Hydro-Meteorological Service at the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, reported on the results of the 16^th session of the Convention Subsidiary Bodies held in Bonn, Germany, in the summer 2002.

Representatives from other government of Ukraine (GOU) executive bodies and Ukrainian NGOs have also spoken at the meeting. The participants discussed, inter alia, issues related to the implementation of the Marrakech Agreements, the COP-8 agenda, and recommendations on the Ukrainian delegation position at the COP-8 and other issues.

In his closing remarks Minister S. Kurykin noted that Ukraine plans in general to continue participating in international climate change negotiations to find consensual decisions and in particular, to take active part in the 8^th Conference of the Parties.

The first meeting of the Working Group was held on 25 June 2002 in Kyiv. The meeting reviewed a draft Terms of References of the Working Group (TR) prepared by the Ukrainian party based on the European party proposal. During the discussions of the TR, the Working Group members have presented their recommendations comments. As a result of the meeting, it was mutually agreed to revise the TR and prepare a finalized version for the second meeting of the Working Group. In Addition, at the meeting the participants have exchanged information on the status of the Kyoto Protocol ratification by the Convention Parties, adopted and planned domestic policies on climate change, the results of the 16^th session of the Subsidiary Bodies of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the status of the preparation of the 8^th Conference of the Parties to the Convention to be held in Delhi in October 2002. The Working Group has also discussed its priority activities for 2002-2003. The meeting parties agreed to hold the next meeting of the Working Group at the beginning of 2003.

In August 2002, a draft TR of the Ukraine-EU Working Group on Climate Change was finalized and submitted for approval to the European party. The European party has informed about its readiness to accept the proposed TR at the next meeting of the Working Group. In accordance with the proposed TR the Ukrainian party suggested to hold the second meeting of the Working Group in Brussels, Belgium on 29 January 2003.

May 17, 2002 - The representatives of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources jointly with the representatives of other central executive bodies and organizations, representatives of the international programs took part in the workshop on issues regarding the inventory of greenhouse gas emissions by sources and removal by sinks in Ukraine arranged by the Climate Change Initiative.

The opening remarks were made by representatives from the Climate Change Initiative, United State Agency for International Development and Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine.

In his speech Mr. O. Velychko, a representative from the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine, acknowledged the workshop importance and emphasized that the key objective of this meeting is not only to sum up the implementation of technical assistance projects in Ukraine, but also to agree on the further steps as for their practical realization so that Ukraine could meet its commitments under the UNFCCC.

The workshop participants discussed the presented projects implemented by the Alternative Fuels Center of the Ministry of Fuel and Energy, Agency for Rational Energy Use and Ecology, Partnership for Energy and Environmental Reforms, Canada-Ukraine Climate Change Program for 1999-2002, and Center for Clean Air Policy.

G. Veremijchyk and T. Gordiyenko, representatives from Climate Change Department of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, also spoke at the workshop. The workshop participants considered the issues concerning the initiation of works in Ukraine with the purpose of developing the national GHG emission inventory system, advisability of Kyoto Protocol ratification by Ukraine, and analyzed experience of other countries in addressing the similar problems and other issues.

May 13-15, 2002 - the representatives of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine took part in the joint working meeting of the Expert Panel of the UNFCCC Annex 1 countries. "National Systems to Introduce Flexibility Mechanisms in Countries in Transition" which was held in Sentendre (Hungary) with the assistance of the Environment Directorate of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (ORCD), International Energy Agency (IEA), International Emission Trading Association (IETA).

Over 100 climate change experts from 25 Annex 1 countries, including the Russian Federation, Belarus, Latvia, 7 transitional countries of Central Europe, the USA, Japan, as well as experts from the European Union (EU), UNFCCC Secretariat, UN international programs (UNDP-GEF, UNCTAD, UNTAR), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

The working meeting considered the issues regarding the progress and problems the countries in transition are facing to meet their commitments under the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol, possibilities to comply with the eligibility requirements to the participation in the Kyoto Protocol flexibility mechanisms, which are rather stringent, specifically those which concern the creation of the national GHG inventory system and national registry, as well as issues of risks connected with the joint implementation (JI) projects.

The working meeting represented the international technical assistance projects implemented in the countries in transition. However, despite the international assistance, the countries should resolve on its own a number of problems connected with the development and deployment of climate change policy, adaptation of methodologies to the national circumstances, development of monitoring and data collection system, maintenance of data quality and control, as well as undertake capacity-building activities for implementation of JI projects and functioning of GHG emission trading market, development of the national inventory system and national registry, education and training of government and non-government specialists, etc.

The working meeting provided information about the JI projects implemented in the countries in transit. In their speeches the participants also pointed out that the joint implementation projects were not urgently required for the above countries in meeting their commitments, since they were able to achieve this actually without the additional measures. A representative from Latvia said that its country from now on would select the JI project more thoroughly, which should meet the national interests and feature favorable conditions.

It was reported that the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) was planning to revise at its 16th session and submit for consideration by COP-8 guidelines for the preparation of national communications of the Parties included in Annex 1 to the UNFCC and for reporting on annual inventories, including good practices used, having excluded unnecessary information and pointed to gaps. This also will include the determination of timing and approaches before the revision. A set of required technical standards for establishing the national registry is planned to be developed before COP-8, and determination of all necessary actions before COP-10.

May 7-8, 2002, a representative of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources (MENR) of Ukraine took part in the workshop of the representatives of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The meeting focused on the issue of clean energy and electricity generation, with a lower level of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The meeting arranged by the UNFCC Secretariat at the request of the Canadian Government was held in the city of Whistler, British Columbia, Canada.

About 55 representatives of Annex 1 Parties and non-Annex 1 Parties, non-government organizations participated in the workshop. The workshop participants discussed the international clean energy trading status, its global environmental significance, and accompanying potential economic benefits.

Canada informed about its problems arising from USA withdrawal from the Kyoto process. Given the large scale of Canadian economy integration with the US one, Canada experiences difficulties in its GHG emission reduction Kyoto compliance. Following the statement of Canada's Government concerning the global environmental benefits, which the clean energy exports provide, the discussion was mainly focused on the position of Canada's Government expressed.

MENR 2001 major activities

Information prepared by the Climate Change Division
of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources (MENR)of Ukraine