The governments of Ukraine and the Federal Republic of Germany are strengthening cooperation in key areas of environmental policy. This includes enhancing Ukraine’s institutional capacity, supporting the implementation of key environmental reforms, advancing the green transition, helping Ukrainian businesses adapt to new climate legislation and EU requirements, preserving biodiversity, and improving the management of protected areas.
These and other issues were discussed by Ukraine’s Minister of Economy and Environment Oleksandr Kravchenko and German Federal Minister for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety Carsten Schneider. Deputy Minister Oleksandr Krasnolutskyi also took part in the meeting. The German side was represented by German Ambassador to Ukraine Boris Ruge and representatives of German businesses.
“German companies are already investing in renewable energy and water treatment. But the potential is much greater. Ukraine needs modern solutions in energy efficiency, water supply and waste management. For German businesses, this is an opportunity to expand their presence in Ukraine through investment, technological partnerships and joint projects. It is important to turn this dialogue into concrete investment in the green recovery of the Ukrainian economy,” Minister Oleksandr Kravchenko said.
The minister thanked his German counterparts for their consistent support, particularly for Ukraine’s EU integration process, assistance in implementing the EU environmental acquis, advancing the National Programme for the Adoption of the Acquis, and strengthening institutional capacity at both national and local levels.
Support for climate policy, the green transition and green recovery is particularly important, including in the areas of the Emissions Trading System (ETS), carbon pricing, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), climate adaptation, implementation of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), and regulation of F-gases. The German development agency GIZ is also making a significant contribution to the implementation of climate reforms. Ukraine and Germany plan to continue and strengthen cooperation with GIZ on the introduction of an emissions trading system, CO₂ pricing, NDC implementation and climate change adaptation.
Germany also provides support for nature conservation and biodiversity protection. Ukraine is interested in continuing this cooperation and moving to a new stage — from supporting individual protected areas to systematically improving the effectiveness of nature and biodiversity management. Cooperation is also expected to support institutional reform of protected-area management through the creation of a dedicated Agency for Protected Areas and Biodiversity Management.
Key priorities include:
- Developing the Ukraine Green Recovery Action Platform as a practical mechanism for coordinating international support and implementing green recovery projects.
- CBAM — supporting Ukrainian industry, including the accreditation and verification capacities of Ukrainian companies and verification bodies under the CBAM framework.
- Continuing the Ukrainian-German climate dialogue within the framework of COP31.
- German support for pilot projects to issue green bonds in Ukraine’s public sector.
