KYIV, 8 April 2024 – The Ukrainian parliament’s Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management has approved recommendations to further ensure that Ukraine's recovery is in line with sustainable development principles.

Approval of the recommendations came after the holding of committee hearings supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine as part of an environmental damage assessment project funded by the Government of Sweden.

The hearings drew over 200 attendees, including representatives from parliament, governmental bodies, international organizations, donor countries, academia, and civil society. 

Divided into thematic sessions, the hearings explored the legislative landscape of Ukraine's reconstruction efforts and its alignment with the country’s sustainable development objectives. 

The committee also discussed international recommendations for Ukraine on advancing its Green Deal aspirations during the reconstruction phase. In addition, an expert panel also presented various green recovery tools and mechanisms.

One of the highlights of the hearings was the presentation of a report called “Green Recovery of Ukraine – Guidelines and Tools for Decision Makers” by Roman Shakhmatenko, the team leader of UNDP in Ukraine’s Energy and Environment Portfolio. Crafted in collaboration with experts from the Kyiv School of Economics, the report offers actionable insights to facilitate informed decision-making for Ukraine's green recovery.

Opening the hearings, Olena Kryvoruchkina, Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management, underscored the committee's strategic imperative to steer Ukraine's post-war recovery in alignment with European standards and the "build back better" ethos. 

“The achievement of this ambitious goal by Ukraine will require the joint efforts of many stakeholders,” Kryvoruchkina said. “I’m grateful to all international partners, in particular to UNDP, for supporting Ukraine on its green recovery path.”

Christophoros Politis, UNDP's Deputy Resident Representative in Ukraine, emphasized the transformative potential for recovery in Ukraine to usher in cutting-edge green technologies and environmental solutions that would meet the country’s climate ambitions. Politis underscored the critical role of support from international development partners in realizing the country's green recovery aspirations, and highlighted the importance of building solid data that would serve as the basis for evidence-based policy making and regulatory reforms. 

“UNDP Ukraine stands committed to fulfilling its role as an integrator to bolster Ukraine's progress towards a sustainable, low-carbon, and climate-resilient economy and to work with all stakeholders in advancing Build Back Better principles in the recovery approach,” Politis said.

Media enquiries

Yuliia Samus, UNDP Ukraine Head of Communications; e-mail: yuliia.samus@undp.org