Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Energy Yaroslav Demchenkov confirmed that Ukraine does not plan to use coal in power generation after 2035. He made this statement during the event “Building back greener is building back stronger: Ukraine’s transition from coal to clean” prior to the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London.
The plan to phase out coal in state-owned power generation by 2035 was first announced in 2021 at COP26 in Glasgow when Ukraine joined the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA) – a coalition of national governments, businesses and organizations advocating for transition to renewable energy sources. The Alliance was also co-organizer of the event in London.
However, just three months after this announcement, a full-scale russian invasion of Ukraine began, and most of energy transition plans were put on hold. Our energy infrastructure came under attack, renewable energy capacities suffered significant damage or are located in the temporarily occupied territory, and all forces and resources were directed towards defending the country. Therefore, our team is pleased that the vision of green future for Ukraine remains unchanged, and the government confirms the previous plans of phasing out coal which greatly contributes to air pollution and climate change.
The Head of our Energy Department, Kostiantyn Krynytskyi, has also joined this event as a speaker. He has been working with Ukrainian coal mining towns on their just transition for over five years. Despite the war and other challenges faced by these communities, their leaders recognize the necessity of a gradual phasing out of coal and are ready to continue working on just transition. Ecoaction, together with NGOs Germanwatch and Alternativa, continues to assist them on this path.
“The situation in different communities varies, but despite this they face common challenges and plan a coal-free future together. Shortly before the Ukraine Recovery Conference, coal mining communities formed a working group that later presented a joined Concept on the role of just transition in the recovery, supported by 16 communities”, said Kostiantyn Krynytskyi.
It is important for coal mining communities to know the date of the coal phase-out in order to understand the deadlines and adjust their plans accordingly. Most communities are unaware of when the mines they depend on will close. The closure will affect both the local population and the entire community’s economy so for it to be effective and really just it must be inclusive, involving local authorities, businesses and civil society.
Andrii Zalivskyi, mayor of Chervonohrad, a coal mining community in Lviv region, was another speaker at the event in London. This town has suffered less from the russian invasion, which allows it to work on its own just transition strategy and even implement projects. Chervonohrad is one of two pilot communities selected by the Ukrainian government, where just transition processes are supported by the German government.
“We want to become a city of sustainable green energy, open to investment and new enterprises that produce renewable energy equipment in our community”, stated Andrii Zalivskyi in his speech.
Ecoaction team joined the Ukraine Recovery Conference to, among other things, provide additional support to local communities. Together with NGOs Ecoclub, Razom We Stand, Greenpeace and CEE Bankwatch we call foreign governments, international partners and national authorities to partner with local communities in rebuilding the energy sector in a green and sustainable way.
Read more in our join brief.