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April 21, 2024
On April 17, 2024, the II Forum on Ecology and Sustainable Development took place, with Pragma Consulting Group as its main partner.
Pragmaʼs partner, Ph.D., Alyona Shulima, moderated the first two sessions of the Forum: "Ukraine's 'Green' Transformation in the Context of War and European Integration" and "New Climate Policy of Ukraine".
" We need to discuss how reforms are taking place. Everyone engaged in its implementations must be informed about the changes, as during such communications not only regulations but new meanings are created. The quality of legislation will depend on this, firstly, then - legal understanding, and then – the level of implementation. Issues of environmental rights, subsoil use, and industry cannot be created in offices, that is why interaction, discussion and the opportunity to hear each other are so important", noted Alyona Shulima, opening the first session of the Forum.
The first session's topics included European integration in times of war, Ukraine's reconstruction according to the Build Back Better principle, waste management reform, and transition to a circular economy; transformation of resource exploitation in the context of the Green Deal, ESG priorities of Ukrainian companies.
The second session covered initiatives in the field of climate policy, industrial pollution prevention reform, tools for "green" reconstruction and decarbonization of the economy; CBAM for Ukrainian businesses—challenge or opportunity?; the draft Law of Ukraine "On the Basic Principles of State Climate Policy": expert assessment; CBAM risks for exports of various economic sectors and necessary measures; CBAM issues from the perspective of Ukrainian businesses and importers from the EU.
"We have a geopolitical Euro Integration priority. But something needs to be done for this. And whoever does it faster and better will be ahead", summed up Alyona Shulima, discussing CBAM as an opportunity for businesses.
The discussion involved the Head of the Committee on Ecology and Natural Resources Oleg Bondarenko, the Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine for European Integration Evgen Fadorenko, the Deputy Minister Victoria Kireeva, General Director of the Government Office for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Oleksander Ilkov, the Head of the State Geological Survey of Ukraine Roman Opimakh, the Chairperson of the State Agency for Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving of Ukraine Hanna Zamazieieva, as well as representatives of leading Ukrainian industrial, legal companies, and business associations.
Other Forum sessions also addressed the use of territories affected by radioactive contamination, environmental safety, and protection of environmental rights.
Forum participants also heard a special report from the Senior Research Fellow at the Kyiv School of Economics Oleksiy Ryabchin on "Green Reconstruction of Ukraine: Guiding Principles and Tools for Decision-Makers. How to Achieve This?" and from the Advisor to the Prosecutor General Maxim Popov on "Environment Matters: What Does the Environmental Agreement for Ukraine Envisage?"
Thanks to the organizers, speakers, and participants of the II Forum on Ecology and Sustainable Development!
Link to the video broadcast (time codes added): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuTuJuuE8JQ
Photo: Legal Practice