Analysis of the current status and perspective of implementation of Ukraine international climate change commitments: Kyoto protocol

It was found that the participation of Ukraine during the first period action of the Kyoto Protocol (KP) was ineffective as a result of the non-use of significant opportunities of the flexible KP mechanisms and attraction of investments to reduce the carbon intensity of the economy. The second period action of the KP no longer provides Ukraine with such extremely attractive conditions as the first period. The article presents calculations of the expected volumes of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions in Ukraine until 2020, which show that our state won't be able to meet the international commitments for the second period of the KP in case it ratifies the Doha amendment (in its present form). Moreover, Ukraine may turn from seller, as was the case in the first period of the KP, to buyer of carbon emissions quotas, if it will not implement a well-reasoned and efficient low-carbon policies based on energy conservation, energy efficiency, energy substitution carbon intensity to renewable energy and introduction of innovative technologies. Non-ratification by Ukraine of the Doha amendment (raising ambitions about not exceeding, in 2020, the 42% of the 1990 GHG emissions level) would actually deprive Ukraine of its opportunity to be a Party in the second period of action of the KP, which contradicts the draft EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. In the article, it is offered to the Government of Ukraine to consider a question of the conclusion of bilateral agreements with EU for receiving the help in implementation of the obligations for the reduction of GHG emissions. Such assistance could be provided, for example, in the form of technology transfer in order to provide short-term measures to modernize and increase the energy efficiency of the domestic households.