USAID MUNICIPAL ENERGY REFORM PROJECT IN UKRAINE UKRAINE 2050 LOW EMISSION DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

The Low Emission Development Strategy (LEDS) aims to decouple economic and social growth from greenhouse gas emissions growth. This approach is a first experience in Ukraine's policy development, requiring significant achievements in key sectors of the economy and main components of human livelihood. The LEDS is an instrument for public policy and shaping of responsible behavior by both businesses and citizens. At the national level, it supports the global target on stabilizing greenhouse gas concentration in accordance with the scenario of limiting global average temperature increase to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. The LEDS development is based on national priorities and sectoral strategies, with a focus on policies and measures to be implemented up to the middle of the current century. The strategy envisions their periodic review and adjustment. The main objectives of the LEDS are: 1. Transition to an energy system with low carbon content, development of clean electricity and heat energy sources, increase in energy efficiency and energy saving in all sectors of the economy, housing and infrastructure facilities, stimulation of alternatives to motor fuels, and transition to environmentally cleaner types of transport. 2. Increase in carbon absorption and uptake with the help of best practices in agriculture and forestry. 3. Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, such as methane and nitrogen oxide, associated with fossil fuel production, agriculture, and waste. The LEDS focuses on policies and measures to be implemented up to the middle of the current century, with periodic review and adjustment. The strategy is based on national priorities and sectoral strategies, with a focus on decoupling economic and social growth from greenhouse gas emissions growth. The second section of the LEDS includes information on the prerequisites to low carbon development. This includes conclusions from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which justifies the need for greenhouse gas reduction to maintain the status of the climate system and prevent growth in risks to health and wellbeing of people and the environment. The main goals of the Paris Agreement are to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change, in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty. The expected outcomes for Ukraine from the implementation of the Paris Agreement include: * Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions * Increase in carbon absorption and uptake * Transition to a low emission growth trajectory * Development of clean electricity and heat energy sources * Increase in energy efficiency and energy saving in all sectors of the economy * Stimulation of alternatives to motor fuels * Transition to environmentally cleaner types of transport The dynamics of Ukraine's greenhouse gas emissions for the period 1990-2015 show a decrease in emissions, with the exception of the sector "land use, changes in land use and forestry", which is by 66.4% lower than in the base year of 1990. If this sector is included, the emissions in 2015 amounted to 308.64 million tons of CO2-equivalent, which is 66.1% less compared to the base year. The dynamics of Ukraine's average annual temperature deviations from climate normal over the period from 1961-2015 show a list of climate change impacts and substantial consequences. Ukraine's international cooperation and participation in climate change efforts are also discussed in this section. The third section of the LEDS describes the legislative and institutional foundations supporting low emission development. This includes fundamental legislative acts on sustainable development, Ukraine-EU Association, ratification of the Paris Agreement, and the State Environmental Policy Implementation. The acts issued by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine pertaining to the State policy on climate change, Energy Laws, Renewable energy and Energy Saving Laws, and other acts are also discussed in this section. The LEDS development is based on national priorities