Decarbonisation and Energy Security: Andrii Kitura Shares Ukraine's Experience at COP30
Representatives of the Green Transition Office are taking part in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties - COP30. The second day of COP30 in Belém proved to be intense for the Ukrainian delegation. Andrii Kitura, Head of the Green Transition Office at the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, spoke at the panel discussion "Powering Ukraine: The Private Sector at the Heart of the Energy Transition" at the Ukraine Pavilion, presenting Ukraine's experience of energy transformation under wartime conditions.
The speaker focused on Ukraine's unique experience in energy resilience, which could serve as a valuable lesson for the world.
"Our experience of resisting military aggression and terrorist attacks by Russia has led us to a sobering conclusion — virtually none of the existing energy systems in EU countries would withstand the conditions of a full-scale war. The risk of other countries facing similar threats is now higher than ever," noted Andrii Kitura.
He called on European partners to revisit their national energy security strategies, taking into account the possibility of operating under attack conditions, including cyberattacks, and emphasised that many practical solutions already exist in this field. He urged learning from Ukrainian energy professionals, who now possess unique expertise found nowhere else in the world.
The presentation also examined questions of diversification, decentralisation and stakeholder coordination. Emphasis was placed on the importance of analysing the entire energy value chain, which begins not with gas or coal extraction, but with the production of equipment for extraction or generation. Only then can we speak of decentralised renewable generation, innovative demand-side management solutions, smart grid development and other innovative approaches.
In response to the question of how the Green Transition Office ensures that decarbonisation and energy security objectives reinforce rather than compete with each other, concrete examples were provided.
"Decarbonisation and energy security do not contradict each other — they are, in essence, two parts of the same solution. In practice, investments in decarbonisation are always investments in security and energy independence. Decentralised renewable generation combined with energy storage systems makes the energy system more self-sufficient and resilient, while greenhouse gas emissions become minimal — or, in the long term, even zero," Andrii Kitura noted.
The Office team supports the Government of Ukraine in implementing and monitoring the National Energy and Climate Plan. Within this framework, decarbonisation and energy security are treated as two equally important dimensions, each comprising around twenty distinct policies and measures. This balance is reflected at both the political and legislative levels.
During the presentation, the Office's role in ensuring effective coordination of NECP policy implementation and monitoring progress towards quantitative and qualitative goals was highlighted. Additionally, the Office has analysed existing investment projects and identified those aligned with NECP objectives. Together with business representatives, these projects are being presented to partners in the EU and beyond — in France, Italy, the United Kingdom and Sweden, where most roadshows have focused on energy projects.
Other initiatives include work on attracting green investment to Ukraine through the implementation of the EU Taxonomy, which will provide the market with clear criteria for green financing. The Office, together with partners, has also launched the Green Platform — a catalogue of financing programmes already available to Ukraine. Furthermore, the team is integrating green criteria into public investment management to ensure truly sustainable reconstruction of Ukraine.
The Green Transition Office is an independent advisory body under the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine that helps to implement reforms in the field of green transition, energy and climate policy of Ukraine. The Green Transition Office operates with the financial support of the UK Agency for International Development and is implemented by DiXi Group.
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