24 March 2023 / As Ukraine's application for EU candidacy is being fast-tracked, and the EU is scrambling to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, the move to have Ukraine comply with environmental accounting standards (GHG protocol and SBTi) and make data on  GHG emissions public is vital. Only with such measures can Ukraine and the EU meet recommendations of the UN IPCC scientific report this week.

"Ukraine wants to, and needs to, play a leading role in solving the global climate crisis. To do that, we must begin to accurately measure greenhouse gas emissions and report via gold world standard - GHG protocol.This is a basis for setting SBT - science based targets. Businesses and local governments need to track and report emissions in accordance with GHG Protocol to be able to develop effective decarbonization strategies, so we need this action to help solve the climate crisis," says Olha Yevstihnieieva, Advocacy Manager at Razom We Stand.

Razom We Stand urged swift action from Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, and Chair of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, Ihor Verner, stressing the critical role of measuring emissions, which is mandatory in many developed countries, for achieving climate goals. Tracking of energy wastage and emissions are also vital to post-war reconstruction efforts so that Ukraine can guarantee its competitiveness in international markets while contributing to a greener and more sustainable world.

Ukrainian businesses should also be responsible for accounting for their emissions. To achieve this, Razom We Stand proposes implementing the GHG Protocol, the most widely recognized and commonly used method of reporting greenhouse gas emissions by businesses and government agencies. To facilitate this, the Ukrainian government should publish greenhouse gas emission factors and carbon intensity for materials and goods.

Another essential topic for the post-war recovery phase, where thousands of buildings were destroyed, is the establishment of a government database to evaluate the life cycle of building materials and their carbon intensity. This must include accounting for emissions related to construction process, transportation, energy usage, and recycling procedures, as highlighted in the appeal. Such measures also boost efficiency, and save resources which may be in short supply due to war.

Germany and Finland, with their dedicated greenhouse gas accounting databases, provide good models for Ukraine to build upon. The German government's Okobaudat database, which operates as an open data portal managed by the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development, and Construction, is an excellent system. The database provides free information on the carbon intensity and recyclability of various goods, including cement, metals, and chemical products used in building construction, energy, and transportation. In Finland Lipasto database provides for calculation of emissions attributed to transportation of goods and materials. With such measures in place, Ukraine can more quickly rebound from the war, and move towards becoming a climate leader as it transitions towards clean energy.

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Press contact: 

Jason Kirkpatrick, Snr. Communications Mgr. 

press@razomwestand.org