Energy and Environment
Effective use of energy and the overall state of environment are essential for sustainable development. These issues are also global as climate change, loss of biodiversity and ozone layer depletion cannot be addressed by countries acting alone. UNDP helps Ukraine strengthen their capacity to address these challenges at global, national and community levels, seeking out and sharing best practices, providing innovative policy advice and linking partners through pilot projects that help poor people build sustainable livelihoods.
WHAT IS THE SITUATION IN UKRAINE?
Ukraine has the unique status of being home to some of the richest natural environments and resources in Europe while at the same time being one of the most heavily polluted countries in the region. Ukraine is one of the least energy efficient countries in the world.
Effective management of natural resources and environmental protection are essential to preserve life-supporting biological systems, improve the quality of life and reduce poverty in Ukraine. Poor environmental management in the past has resulted in an increased number of natural and man-made disasters in recent years in Ukraine, and worsened the health of the population. At present, 40% of the total territory of Ukraine is now eroded land, and is growing at approximately 80,000 hectares annually. At the same time, it has many natural assets in biodiversity and international waters of global importance and its industrial activities and energy consumption practices have important implications for global climate change.
WHAT ARE THE FOCAL AREAS OF UNDP UKRAINE IN ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT?
UNDP's environmental programme is addressing the issues through national and subregional activities, advocating the limitation of greenhouse gas emission through energy efficiency initiatives in district heating systems and promotion of renewable energy. Key international waters including the Dnipro and Danube Rivers and the Black Sea are the focus of sub-regional interventions, in cooperation with the Global Environment Facility. A Strategic Action Plan for the Dnipro was developed, and regional projects on pollution reduction are being implemented for the Black Sea and the Danube. The partners and agencies in the Danube/Black Sea initiative are looking at a new strategic programme including capital investments, enforcement of environmental legislation and strengthening of public participation, which will be supported by UNDP. Additionally, UNDP is supporting interventions in integrated land and water management, and forest and mountain ecosystems.
Ukraine is actively involved with international environmental issues and is a party to 19 international conventions and protocols. Participation in multisided multi-party agreements gives the country a chance to play an active role in the international negotiation process, and attract financial support for solving acute internal ecological problems. Multi-sided international agreements (conventions, protocols, and agreements) are the only real methods of averting and solving global environmental problems. The main directions for multi-direction cooperation are protection of biological diversity; protection of Trans boundary water flows and international lakes; climate change; protection of the ozone layer; protection of the atmosphere; waste management; and assessment of environmental impact.
Ukraine's soil is widely recognized as a major national asset thanks to its tremendous fertility and outstanding agricultural qualities. According to data compiled by the State Committee for Statistics, agriculture currently occupies 72% and forests 17.2% of the total land area (60.4 million ha). However, Ukraine is one of the countries that exemplify the seriousness of land degradation in the region as described in the Regional Implementation Annex for Central and Eastern Europe, of the Convention.
UNDP Ukraine assisted the Government of Ukraine in strengthening its capacity building to meet Ukraine's obligations under the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, adoption of National Action Programme to combat desertification and land degradation, distribution of the information on issues of desertification and land degradation in Ukraine, raising public awareness, introducing resources-saving technologies, conducting trainings and seminars for authorities, private sector, including farmers, NGOs, etc.
UNDP is supporting the Government of Ukraine to establish a National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in part to fulfill the country’s obligations to the Hyogo Framework for Action. UNDP is also working with the Government of Ukraine in developing a national strategy for disaster risk reduction.
Harmonization of Ukrainian practices with EU environmental legislation standards, and guidelines are essential in view of the objective of integration. This is being achieved through application of international experiences in pollution control, promotion of bottom-up initiatives in communities and regions, and development of environmentally sound practices, integrated ecosystems management, waste management, and ecotourism.
Sustainable development is an integral part of UNDP in Ukraine's primary goal of poverty alleviation, as a healthy environment can allow for a healthier society, both physically and psychologically, and thus develop confidence in individuals to take charge in developing their communities and, hence, reduce poverty.
Sustainable development is an integral part of UNDP in Ukraine's primary goal of poverty alleviation, as a healthy environment can allow for a healthier society, both physically and psychologically, and thus develop confidence in individuals to take charge in developing their communities and, hence, reduce poverty.
WHAT IS THE FUTURE OUTLOOK FOR UKRAINE?
Global Climate change, ozone depletion, loss of biodiversity, land degradation and access to clean and affordable energy services are global concerns, but cannot be addressed without attention to their implementation at the local level, and with special attention to their relationship with poverty and gender concerns. UNDP will assist Ukraine in strengthening its capacity to address these challenges at global, national and community levels, seeking out and sharing best energy-saving practices, providing innovative policy advice and linking partners through pilot projects that help people build sustainable livelihoods.
Effective management of natural resources and environmental protection are essential to preserve life-supporting biological systems, and will help to improve the quality of life and reduce poverty in Ukraine.
As in any part of the world, there is a real challenge of maintaining proper sustainable development and environmentally friendly practice combined with human development and economic growth.
As in any part of the world, there is a real challenge of maintaining proper sustainable development and environmentally friendly practice combined with human development and economic growth.
This is a fine balance that must be mastered, as a healthy environment is a prerequisite to maximizing quality of life, and UNDP is continuing to prioritize sustainable development in Ukraine.
KEY PROGRAMME ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2011
Support to the Establishment of Association of Protected Areas
The Nature Reserve Fund (NRF) includes more than 100 protected areas (PAs) of international, regional and national importance. The institutions managing the NRF territories are subordinated to several central bodies (government and academia). In order to overcome the deficiencies due to the lack of unified management and to facilitate the cooperation between the protected areas, UNDP assisted the establishment of an Association of Protected Areas with the development of its Statute, ensured state registration, and developed internal operations documents. The Association acts as a platform for knowledge exchange and transfer of experience between PAs and lobbies the interest of PAs at national and regional levels, thus increasing the effectiveness of their advocacy efforts for nature protection. One and a half years of Association’s work led to the development of a National Strategy on the Protected Areas’ Financial Sustainability; doubled the size of protected areas (from 5.4% to 9,3% of the country’s territory); and provided access to world best practice in business planning and ecotourism to more than 217 nature protection practitioners. UNDP experts developed business trainings specifically tailored for the Association’s needs, which helped the organization to introduce business planning in pilot PAs. As a result, Ukrainian national parks achieved 25% annual increase of the number of tourists and improved local infrastructure for developing of green tourism in protected areas.
The Nature Reserve Fund (NRF) includes more than 100 protected areas (PAs) of international, regional and national importance. The institutions managing the NRF territories are subordinated to several central bodies (government and academia). In order to overcome the deficiencies due to the lack of unified management and to facilitate the cooperation between the protected areas, UNDP assisted the establishment of an Association of Protected Areas with the development of its Statute, ensured state registration, and developed internal operations documents. The Association acts as a platform for knowledge exchange and transfer of experience between PAs and lobbies the interest of PAs at national and regional levels, thus increasing the effectiveness of their advocacy efforts for nature protection. One and a half years of Association’s work led to the development of a National Strategy on the Protected Areas’ Financial Sustainability; doubled the size of protected areas (from 5.4% to 9,3% of the country’s territory); and provided access to world best practice in business planning and ecotourism to more than 217 nature protection practitioners. UNDP experts developed business trainings specifically tailored for the Association’s needs, which helped the organization to introduce business planning in pilot PAs. As a result, Ukrainian national parks achieved 25% annual increase of the number of tourists and improved local infrastructure for developing of green tourism in protected areas.
UNDP/GEF Project “ Strengthening governance and financial sustainability of the national protected area system in Ukraine” created the database on the protected area management effectiveness assessment in accordance with the Regulations of comprehensive system for assessing the management effectiveness of PAs and handed over to the State Service on Protected Areas of Ukraine.
Sustainable Development Programme of Lugansk oblast successfully finalized first project in Ukraine on using market-based mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol that allow developed countries to meet their emission caps by purchasing carbon credits from developing country projects that reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. The project introduced modern waste management system in the Aleksandrovsk Landfill, one of the environmental "hot spots" in the region. The system allows to capture and productively use landfill gas, as well as to significantly improve environmental situation in the area around the landfill which used to be the source of complains for local residents for decades. It is one of the the first of its kind in Ukraine and has a great potential for replication in the country and whole CIS.
Municipal practices related to energy management and environment are improved through implementation of various scale technical projects related to transforming municipal energy use, delivering increased energy efficiency and substantial cost savings.
PROJECTS OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT SECTION
- Capacity Building for low carbon Growth in Ukraine
- GEF Small Grants Programme in Ukraine For almost two decades, the GEF Small Grants Programme has been working with communities around the world to combat the most critical environmental problems and has successfully demonstrated that supporting communities in their efforts to achieve more sustainable livelihoods is not only possible, but extremely important in bringing change and achieving global environmental benefits.
- Improving the Health and Safety of Miners in Eastern Ukraine (Phase 1)
- Mainstreaming Environment in the Local Strategies in Chernobyl Affected areas
- Transforming the Market for Efficient Lighting The project’s objectives to help transform the market towards more energy efficient lighting technologies by removing barriers which will contribute to the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Actions will be taken by the project to promote a gradual phase-out of inefficient lighting products in residential and public buildings. Global Environmental Facility participation in pilot projects at schools will remove existing barriers in seven pilot cities/municipalities and provide for the replication of defined approaches and measures in other major cities of Ukraine.
- UNDP - GEF Dnipro Basin Environment Programme 2nd Stage: 'Implementation of the Dnipro Basin Strategic Action Programme for the reduction of persistent toxics pollution' The Project's objective is to start implementation of the ministerially approved SAP via governance reforms and demonstration projects aimed at reducing transboundary persistent toxic substances by small/medium size industries discharging through municipal waste systems in the Dnipro basin.UNDP
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