УКМ

As noted at the sessions of the UN General Assembly and meetings of the UN Security Council, the Russian Federation has not applied for membership in the United Nations, and none of the UN member states voted for its admission to the organisation. At the same time, this country is constantly violating the UN Charter, its basic foundations and principles.

One of the most striking examples of such a violation is the Russian aggression against Ukraine, which has been ongoing since 2014 and has become a full-scale invasion of our country since 2022. During its invasion, the aggressor state blatantly ignores not only the UN Charter, but also the basic principles and activities of the UN programmes and entities of which it is allegedly a member, such as:
● FAO (blocking the transport of grain from Ukraine to countries in Africa and Asia suffering from food shortages),
● IFAD (destruction of agricultural land in Ukraine),
● IAEA (shelling of Ukrainian nuclear power plants),
● UNEP (destruction of natural ecosystems and protected areas in Ukraine),
● UNESCO (destruction of cultural and natural heritage sites in Ukraine),
● UNICEF (abduction and transfer of Ukrainian civilians, including children, to its territory),
● WHO (destruction of hospitals and other medical facilities in Ukraine).
The list goes on and on, as does the list of international agreements violated by the aggressor country.

The aims and principles of the WCC are being violated with no less cynicism. We recall the demonstrative burning of millions of cubic metres of natural gas on the border with Finland. Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine has resulted in greenhouse gas emissions in the war zone of 120 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in the first year of the war alone. Even now, according to preliminary estimates, the reconstruction of facilities on the territory of Ukraine that were destroyed due to the aggression will lead to additional emissions of about 50
million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. All these are direct results of Russian aggression.

This war has a direct impact on the climate crisis and, consequently, on the whole world. So, can a country that so blatantly violates all its principles and guidelines be considered a Party to the UNFCCC?

UCN calls on the respective Parties to the Convention to raise the issue of depriving the Russian Federation of the status of a full Party to the UNFCCC until the aggression against Ukraine is fully stopped and all the damage caused by it is compensated.

You can download the position here.

The Ukrainian language version of the position is here.

From November 30 to December 12, 2023, the United Arab Emirates will host the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This position presents a vision of the decisions that must be made at the international and national level in Ukraine to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. The recommendations of the Global Stocktake report are taken into account, as well as important recommendations within the framework of previous negotiations.

In addition to the challenges related to the climate crisis, Ukraine also faces an urgent challenge — Russian full-scale invasion. The war, which has been ongoing since 2014, directly affects the climate crisis and, accordingly, the entire world. The climate crisis and war have a direct connection and one root – which is fossil fuels.

A significant part of the federal budget of Russia is formed precisely at the expense of the export of fossil fuels. That is why climate negotiations, among other things, are also a lever of influence on the actions of the aggressor and an indirect tool to prevent the financing of aggression with the help of fossil fuels in the future. Hence, the main leitmotif of the delegation should be to promote the phase-out of fossil fuels.

1. Phasing out fossil fuels

It is important that the Parties during COP28 affirmed the need to move away from fossil fuels and their subsidies to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, and that the global energy system should be “fully or mostly decarbonized” by the 2030s, leaving no room for coal power.

2. Settlement of liability for climate damage from armed conflicts

During COP27, Ukraine presented the Global Initiative for Environmental Damage Assessment from Military Conflicts. During this year’s COP28 a broad coalition of Parties should support the creation of a mechanism of responsibility for damage caused to the environment as a result of Russia’s war in Ukraine and armed conflicts in general.

At the same time, we believe a continuation of the inclusion of emissions (not related to military operations) from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine (the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and other temporarily occupied territories) to the emissions cadastre of the Russian Federation is inadmissible.

3. Ecosystems and biodiversity conservation

Until the next round of submission of nationally determined contributions, it is important to align countries’ climate ambitions with the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Framework Agreement about biodiversity. In particular, it concerns the need to take appropriate measures to reduce the intensity of biodiversity loss factors and expand the network of nature-protected territories within the framework of national plans and strategies for the protection and restoration of natural ecosystems.

Simultaneously, protecting and restoring ecosystems cannot be used to offset greenhouse gas emissions. This must happen simultaneously with a rapid phase-out of all fossil fuels and a sharp reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in all sectors.

4. Carbon markets

During the negotiations, Ukraine should not support initiatives that call into question the transparency of monitoring under Article 6 and any initiatives that would allow the transfer of emission reduction units from past periods. Ukraine’s position regarding market-based bilateral instruments within the framework of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement must meet the criteria for additionality and the prevention of double counting of emission reduction units.

Appropriate control tools must accompany Article 6 market mechanisms. These tools should provide sufficient detail in tracking the origin of reduction units to prevent double counting, where multiple countries may use the same reduction unit to report on meeting national climate targets.

5. Strengthening Ukraine’s participation in global climate initiatives

5.1. Presenting the plan to phase out coal in energy (Powering Past Coal Alliance initiative)

During COP28, Ukraine can once again emphasize its own willingness to phase out coal in energy by 2035 and ensure a phased phase-out in a fair manner: with a clear plan to close coal plants, educational programs and opportunities for employment and social guarantees for coal workers, as well as economic diversification of mining communities.

5.2. Initiative to reduce methane emissions (Global Methane Pledge)

As part of the activities to reduce methane emissions, Ukraine should report on the sectoral measures implemented from 2021 and the adoption in 2023 of the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Climate Policy of Ukraine within the framework of participation in the global initiative “Global Methane Pledge”.

5.3. Declaration on forests and land use

At COP28, Ukraine should present a clear plan, which will demonstrate readiness to implement the provisions of the Declaration on Forests and Land Use.

5.4. Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance (BOGA)

Ukraine could join the BOGA countries – an international coalition of governments and partners working together to facilitate the phase-out of oil and gas production. The coalition includes Denmark, France, Sweden, Ireland, Costa Rica and other national and regional governments that have signed the BOGA Declaration.

5.5 Kunmin-Montreal Global Framework Agreement on Biodiversity

It is important for Ukraine to update its national strategic and planning documents and legislation as soon as possible in the field of environmental protection and adaptation to climate change. In particular, Ukraine needs to develop and approve a national strategy and action plan for biodiversity conservation by 2030 within the next 1-2 years.

About the UCN

The Ukrainian Climate Network is a coalition of 37 CSOs from all over Ukraine working on climate change. The UCM aims to unite the efforts of the public to ensure the right of citizens to a clean and safe environment. Members of the network annually participate in COP and monitor Ukraine’s position. Our partners are also the largest network of environmental NGOs – Climate Action Network, whose members directly influence the agenda of climate negotiations.