On June 24, immediately after the historic day when Ukraine became a candidate for EU membership, more than 200 representatives of business, the expert community and representatives of state authorities gathered to answer the central question: how to make the future recovery genuinely green and sustainable?

The organisers of the forum:

  • The Professional Association of Ecologists of Ukraine (PAEU)
  • National Center for Sustainable Development
  • The UNIDO/GEF UKR IEE Project: “Introduction of Energy Management System Standard in Ukrainian Industry”
  • The Project “Promotion of Energy Efficiency and Implementation of the European Energy Efficiency Directive in Ukraine”, implemented by GIZ GmbH on behalf of the German Government

The forum was opened by Liudmyla Tsyhanok, founder of the National Center for Sustainable Development, president of the Professional Association of Ecologists of Ukraine, and organizer of the forum: “Despite the fact that business always thinks in numbers, the paradigm of values is increasingly changing in the world. In Ukraine, companies will not just have to recover after the victory in the war, but enter new markets or return to existing ones with a number of socio-ecological restrictions.”

Gregory Tsouris, Green Deal Counsellor Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine continued:

“In recent years, the EU has been interested in Ukraine’s green transition at the highest level. That is why in 2021 we opened a new chapter in our cooperation in the field of green transition – the EU Green Deal and the green transition dialogue of Ukraine, but the war stopped these efforts. The European Union strongly believes that the transition to a green economy is a great opportunity to build a fairer and more sustainable economy. The EU applies this to itself through the European Green Deal.

Reconstruction, which helps to turn the Ukrainian economy into a net zero and pollution-free economy, is a way to achieve economic recovery and proof of the future of the Ukrainian economy in one go. This will create the conditions for the success of Ukraine after the war.”

Serhiy Porovskyy, Energy Efficiency Financing and Policy Expert for the Project noted:

“Energy efficiency in the industry should become a priority in the recovery of Ukraine’s economy. This direction should receive strong support from the state and should be the primary focus of business management. The activity of the industrial sector is the basis of GDP formation. Therefore, due to economic processes, energy efficiency in the industry directly affects not only the business itself – its competitiveness and profitability but also the stability of the national economy, energy security; well-being and availability of energy resources for each of us!

On the part of UNIDO, we support the formation of state policy on energy efficiency and directly industrial companies on the way to increase energy efficiency: we introduced the Loan Guarantee Fund for preferential unsecured lending; we have an Incentive for EnMS-ISO 50001 implementation for Loan Borrowers under the Loan Guarantee Fund; we also launched the All-Ukrainian Award: Pacesetters for Energy Management.”

Ima Khrenova-Shymkina, director of the GIZ GmbH project “Promotion of Energy Efficiency and Implementation of the European Energy Efficiency Directive in Ukraine”:

“I want to emphasize that only comprehensive implementation of energy-efficient reforms at all levels will ensure a systemic approach and synergistic effect in Ukraine and make our country more resistant to new challenges.”

In general, the forum consisted of four sessions and discussion panels and provided an opportunity to discuss a number of topical issues:

  • Session 1. The future of industrial, food and environmental safety: why these processes are inseparable
  • Session 2. Investing in technology and innovation
  • Session 3. Energy-efficient economy
  • Session 4. Component-wise environmental management

Detailed program of the event at the link.

A more detailed review of the speeches of the speakers can be found in the article of the PAEU press service at the link.