Ukraine will participate in shaping the policies of the European Green Deal.
Ukraine has already decided to develop a dialogue on the European Green Deal and join the development of its policies.
As Ukrinform reports, this was stated by Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna during hearings in the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management, according to the Government Portal.
"Ukraine cannot stand aside from the European Green Deal, as its goal is to synchronize national legislation with European legislation and participate in the EU policy-making process. This is important not only to minimize threats from new trade barriers, but also to take advantage of all the opportunities of the new economic and environmental paradigm that Ukraine, as the largest neighboring country of the European Union, can gain," Stefanishyna said.
She noted that along with the desire to achieve the goal of a climate-neutral European continent, Ukraine is powerfully and systematically promoting its national interests. According to her, negotiations are currently underway regarding the non-application of carbon regulation of imports, the launch of "industrial visa-free travel" and the liberalization of the preferential trade regime. For its part, Ukraine is already contributing to the implementation of the European Green Deal through the adoption of the law on inland water transport and the promotion of the waste management bill.
"This legislation is based on the best European regulation, so its adoption and implementation is Ukraine's contribution to the fight against climate change and effective waste management," Stefanishyna said.
According to her, today in the dialogue with the EU great attention is paid to the just transformation of coal regions, energy efficiency and the issue of the ambition of our Nationally Determined Contribution to emission reduction.
"There must be balance and equality in our dialogue, so when talking about the nationally determined contribution, updating the annexes to the Association Agreement or new obligations to adapt legislation, we must seek a compromise on timelines and available funding. Such issues require a qualitatively different level of planning from the state," the Deputy Prime Minister said.
Stefanishyna also noted that climate change and green transformation have already become a matter of national security and part of Euro-Atlantic integration.
The European Green Deal is a roadmap of measures that will transform the European Union into an efficient, sustainable and competitive economy, define the means to make Europe the world's first climate-neutral continent by 2050, stimulating economic development, improving people's health and quality of life, and transforming climate and environmental challenges into opportunities in all areas and policies of the EU, ensuring a fair and inclusive nature of the green transition.
The Green Deal was officially presented by EC President Ursula von der Leyen to the European Parliament on December 11, 2019.
The key areas of the Green Deal are biodiversity, sustainable agricultural policy (Farm to Fork Strategy), clean energy, sustainable industry, construction and renovation, sustainable mobility, pollution reduction and climate action.