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INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

USA - Ukraine

   The U.s. and Ukraine are Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and are members of the "Umbrella Group" that was formed to overcome international obstacles to the use of market mechanisms for emissions reduction. In July 1998, the U.s. and Ukraine agreed to establish а Climate Change Sub-group under the Committee on Sustainable Economic Cooperation of the U.s.-ukraine Binational Commission. The USAID Mission in Kyiv and its Environmental Division has been designated by the Department of State to play а coordinating role under the Sub-group on behalf of all U.s. agencies implementing climate change activities in Ukraine.

   The following are some of the important climate change activities funded by the U. S. in Ukraine:

    The Climate Change Initiative (CCI) funded by the USAID, is cooperating with the Interministerial Commission on Climate Change and national ministries of Ukraine, as well as other public and private stakeholders. The Climate Change Initiative Center in Kyiv provides Internet access, climate specialists and up to date information on UNFCCC and global climate change activities. Other cooperative activities include training programs, technical assistance and investment project preparation. The initiative is managed by PA Consulting Group.

   The U.s. Country Studies Program, funded by USAID, the U. S. Department of State, the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assisted Ukraine in developing а national inventory of GHG emissions and national action plan.

   USAID has supported а number of other climate change related activities. For example, the Kyiv Mission has promoted energy efficiency through а cooperative agreement with the Alliance to Save Energy.

   USAID is funding Ecolinks а five-year, $25 million program to promote public and private partnerships in the areas of global climate change, energy efficiency and environmental management systems. Projects in Ukraine are eligible for grants under the Ecolinks program.

   USAID also provides support to the U. S. Department of Energy to increase energy efficiency financing. The Agency for Rational Energy Use and Ecology (ARENA-ECO) receives funds to work in four areas: Kyiv institutional buildings; industrial efficiency; gas transmission compressor stations; and the Kharkiv district heating system.

   DOE and the EPA have funded workshops by the Center for Clean Air Policy to build the institutional capacity to adopt market mechanisms by identifying key players and by providing information and analysis.

   The EPA has provided assistance to Ukraine in identifying and reducing methane emissions from coal beds and from ruminant livestock. The coal bed methane program builds upon the Usaid-funded activity that established the Alternative Fuels Center in order to identify commercially viable investment opportunities in coal bed methane recovery.

   EPA and USAID also support the establishment of the Regional Environmental Center (Rec/kyiv) in Kyiv. Rec/kyiv is expected to play an important role in the future in raising public awareness about global environmental issues such as climate change and in bringing governmental authorities, industry, and environmental Ngos together to build consensus on environmental policy actions and priorities.