Follow this page for updates on Ukrainian presence at the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27 hosted by Egypt in Sharm El Sheikh. Also follow the hashtag #COP27UA in social media to find more information about the events.
Impact of Russia’s War Against Ukraine on European Climate Policies and Ways Forward
When: November 8, 2022 14:00 – 15:30 EET
Where: Ukraine Pavilion
Organisers: Ukrainian Climate Network, International Institute for Sustainable Development, Centre for Environmental Initiatives “Ecoaction”, NGO “Ecoclub”
European governments are accelerating their decarbonization in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, gas crisis, and Russia’s war on Ukraine. The majority of European countries have already significantly stepped up their ambition in terms of renewable energy deployment since 2019, while decreasing planned 2030 fossil fuel generation to shield themselves from geopolitical threats.
This in-person event at COP 27 aims to discuss the changes in European policies that have happened since February 2022 due to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The event will examine challenges and ways forward to achieve the Paris Agreement 1.5-2°C goal, while ensuring energy security and social justice. Speakers will also touch upon the role of Ukraine in the decarbonization of Europe.
Speakers:
- Svitlana Grynchuk, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine for European Integration, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine
- Adam Cwetsch, Head of European Green Deal Unit, Energy Community Secretariat
- Laurence Tubiana, CEO, European Climate Foundation
- Philip Gass, Lead, Transitions, International Institute for Sustainable Development
- Andrei Ilaș, Energy Analyst, Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air
- Olexii Ryabchyn, Advisor to CEO, Naftogaz of Ukraine, National Joint Stock Company
- Chiara Martinelli, Director, Climate Action Network Europe – Moderator of the discussion
Global Solidarity Against Fossil-Fuelled Violence & Climate Breakdown
When: November 9, 11:30 – 13:00 EET
Where: Ukraine Pavilion
Organisers: Global Witness, Ukrainian delegation to COP27
A high-level panel highlighting the link between fossil fuels, climate breakdown, and war, and how different countries and communities from around the globe can come together to build a fossil-free future.
Event speakers include: Svitlana Grynchuk (Deputy Minister for Environmental Protection, Ukraine), Nina Lakhani (Senior Climate Justice Reporter, The Guardian US), Bill McKibben (350.org, US), Disha Ravi (founder, Fridays for Future India) and Louis Wilson (Global Witness, UK, event moderator)
Dealing with military and conflict related emissions under the UNFCCC
When: November 9, 13:15 – 14:45 EET
Where: Room Osiris, COP27 Venue
Organisers: The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD)
Greenhouse gas emissions from operations of the military in peacetime and war are significant, reaching up to hundreds of million t CO2. The event discusses how this so far ignored issue can be dealt with under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. More information here.
Speakers: Gov. of Ukraine; Gov. of Georgia; Gov. of Moldova; Univ. of Zurich and Perspectives Climate Research; Initiative on GHG Accounting of War; Tipping Point North South; UNFCCC Secretariat; Moderation: Representative of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine (MEPNR).
Building back greener and better in Ukraine
9 November, 14:30 – 15:45 EET
Organiser: NEFCO
Severe damage has been caused to people, infrastructure and the environment in Ukraine, and the illegal and unprovoked war has long-lasting negative effects on the climate, biodiversity and food security. No one knows when war will end but we must start working on the reconstruction. Actions are needed both short term and long term, and it is also an opportunity to modernise and help Ukraine towards a carbon-neutral future. What is known about the environmental impact at this stage? How can we ensure a sustainable recovery? How to channel financing to appropriate measures? What role can Ukrainian municipalities take to speed up and build back their communities better?
Speakers: Igor Korkhovyi, Deputy Minister for Communities and Territorial Development of Ukraine; Bohdan Vykhor, CEO of WWF Ukraine; Francis Malige, Managing Director, Financial Institutions for the EBRD; Yevheniia Zasiadko, Head of climate department at NGO Center for environmental initiatives “Ecoaction”; Trond Moe, Managing Director at Nefco; Moderator: Pasi Rinne, Senior Advisor to Nefco
Waste of war: Challenges for Ukraine, impact on environment and climate
When: November 9, 15:30 – 16:30
Where: Ukraine Pavilion
Organisers: Reform Support Team at the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine
Since February 24, Ukraine has been suffering from the effect of active shelling by Russia’s military aggression. As a result of regular air and missile bombings, civilians suffer, and thousands of buildings and structures in many cities have been destroyed: Irpin, Bucha, Chernihiv, Sumy, Okhtyrka, Kharkiv, Severodonetsk, Lysychansk, Bakhmut, Mariupol, Mykolaiv and hundreds of other Ukrainian cities have suffered destruction of such a scale that it is impossible to estimate. How to proceed? What to do with those types of waste that affect people’s health, the environment, and the climate? Storage in temporary storage areas is not an option. Sorting, and reuse of those
types of waste in the reconstruction of buildings and structures, roads and bridges, etc. Ukraine needs new advanced technologies for processing such types of waste, recovery, and financial support for such recovery. This meeting is a good opportunity to once again declare to the world that the waste of destruction must be solved sooner or later, and Ukraine will not be able to solve this problem alone.
Gender equality role in decarbonization and green recovery
When: November 10, 14:00 – 15:30 EET
Where: Ukraine Pavilion
Organisers: Heinrich Boell Foundation, Kyiv Office – Ukraine
The role of women empowerment for faster, more sustainable and resilient decarbonization is hard to overestimate. A successful inclusion of women in the sector means achieving greater diversity and complementarity as well as expanding the pool of talent to better address the demand for skills. Nevertheless, the potential of women engagement in energy transition and decarbonization processes is still not entirely utilized. The discussion will address following questions:
- How to ensure better engagement of women in decision making on decarbonization?
- Gender equality as a tool for energy democracy.
- How developing countries can step over directly to inclusive, just and decarbonized energy systems?
Speakers:
Svitlana Grynchuk, Deputy Minister on Environment and Natural Resources of Ukraine; Birgit Schwenk, Director General for Climate Action at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany; Makoma Lekalakala, Director of Earthlife Africa; Laura Piovesan, Deputy Director General, Projects Directorate, EIB; Rana Ghoneim, Energy Systems and Industrial Decarbonization Unit, UNIDO Gender Focal Point; Oksana Aliieva, Heinrich Boell Foundation – Moderator of the discussion
Climate-resilient food systems and peace: exploring the interconnections
When: November 11, 13:15 – 14:45 EET
Where: Room Thebes, COP27 Venue
Organisers: World Food Programme (WFP)
In a new era of risk, the compounding burden of climate change, food insecurity and conflict impacts the most vulnerable. The event will explore the challenges this poses for humanitarian, development and peacebuilding actors and the solutions needed to address these interconnected crises. More information here.
Speakers: Deputy General Secretary of the g7+ , Switzerland’s Ambassador for the Environment, CGIAR CEO (TBC), UNEP Ecosystems Division Director, Ukraine Head of State Water Agency, Pakistan Minister for Climate Change (TBC), FAO’s Indigenous Peoples Team leader (TBC), WFP Berlin Global Office Director
How does Russia’s war on Ukraine impact German Energy Security and global Climate Justice?
When: November 11, 16:00 – 17:00 EET
Where: German Pavilion
Organisers: German Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
The Russian attack on Ukraine has meant an immense disruption, causing the loss of countless lives and livelyhoods. It has also put on a spotlight on the substantial dependence of several European countries on Russian gas and oil, including Germany. In order to uphold sanctions, maintain energy security and diversify their fossil fuel supply, many European countries are currently looking for new sources of fossil fuel imports. However, civil society resistance against large fossil infrastructure projects around the world showcase the destruction they can cause to local communities, polluting their environment, infringing on their land rights and hindering their pathways towards a just transition. A discussion with perspectives from Ukraine, Colombia, Uganda, Nigeria and Germany.
The impact of Russia’s War in Ukraine on global energy security and climate justice
When: November 15, 14:00 – 15:30 EET
Where: Ukraine Pavilion
Organisers: Centre for Environmental Initiatives “Ecoaction”, BUND-Germany, GMG – Georgia, Friends of the Earth Africa, Censat – Columia
As the current conflict makes the global interconnections of fossil fuel production and consumption visible, the focus of the conversation in many countries seems to shift from energy transition to energy security, often without taking questions of climate justice into account. Forgetting that the best energy security is reduced energy consumption and development of renewable sources. The European efforts to maintain energy security domestically run the risk of undermining civil society efforts for a just transition towards clean energies in other parts of the world and put at risk human rights.