“Pravova derzhava”. Issue 36 (2025), pages 71–82.

DOI: 10.33663/0869-2491-2025-36-71-82

Pavko Yana
Adaptation of Ukrainian Legislation in the Field of Combating Climate Change to the Legislation of the European Union in the Current Conditions

Introduction. The adaptation of national legislation to EU law is an important part of Ukraine’s European integration course. The Association Agreement between
Ukraine and the EU, signed in 2014, contains commitments in the field of environmental protection and combating climate change. Annex XXX to this agreement defines the list of EU directives and regulations within eight thematic areas to be implemented in Ukrainian legislation. One of them, of course, is combating climate change and ozone layer protection. The adaptation of Ukraine’s climate legislation to EU law should facilitate the effective implementation of EU provisions at the national level on the path to full EU membership.
The aim of the article. The purpose of this article is to study the state of adaptation of Ukraine’s climate legislation to EU legislation in the context of European integration and to identify the main problems faced by our country in this process.
Results. Despite the state of war, Ukraine is confidently moving along the European integration path, trying to fulfill all its international obligations. In 2023, the Ukrainian authorities began updating the system of monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gases in accordance with EU legislation. On November 14, 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted the Resolution «On Amendments to Certain
Resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on Monitoring, Reporting and Verification of Greenhouse Gas Emissions». It expands the list of activities whose greenhouse gas emissions are subject to monitoring, reporting and verification.
On January 8, 2025, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the Law of Ukraine «On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on the Restoration of Monitoring, Reporting and Verification of Greenhouse Gas Emissions». It contains provisions that ensure the approximation of Ukrainian legislation to EU legislation. This law restores mandatory reporting on greenhouse gas emissions, which should help to facilitate decarbonization in line with European standards.
It should be noted that in 2024, three strategic European integration documents in the field of сombating climate change were adopted: the Law of Ukraine «On the Basic Principles of the State Climate Policy», the Order of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine «On Approval of the Strategy for the Formation and Implementation of the
State Policy in the Field of Climate Change for the Period up to 2035 and Approval of the Operational Action Plan for its Implementation in 2024–2026», and the Order of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine «On Approval of the National Energy and Climate Plan for the Period up to 2030».
Today, the Ukrainian authorities are working to implement the recommendations of the European Commission contained in the Report as part of the EU’s 2024 Enlargement Package.
Conclusions. Combating climate change remains one of the areas of adaptation of national legislation to EU legislation with a view to Ukraine’s full membership in the EU. In the face of Russia’s armed aggression, Ukraine was able to adopt key legal acts that implement the provisions of EU directives and regulations on climate change.
In our opinion, it is advisable to provide recommendations that would facilitate more effective adaptation of Ukraine’s climate legislation to EU law. In particular, attention should be paid to updating the 2004 National Program for the Adaptation of Ukrainian Legislation to EU Law, which is based on the 1994 Agreement on
Partnership and Cooperation between Ukraine and the European Communities and their Member States, which has expired. This also applies to the 1999 Concept of Adaptation of Ukrainian Legislation to EU Legislation. Undoubtedly, methodological recommendations should be developed to adapt Ukrainian legislation to EU law in the field of environmental protection and сombating climate change to facilitate this process. In our view, an information database on the adaptation of Ukrainian legislation to EU legislation in certain areas should be created.
For the successful adaptation of Ukraine’s climate legislation to EU law, coordinated interaction between all public authorities must be ensured. In addition, it is advisable to involve highly qualified specialists with a good command of English and a thorough knowledge of Ukrainian legislation in the field of environmental protection and combating climate change in the process of bringing Ukrainian legislation into line with EU law. Particular attention should be paid to the creation of a separate government body under the control of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine that would facilitate the implementation of European integration acts in various fields.

Key words: adaptation of national legislation to EU law, European standards, climate neutrality, сombating climate change, system of monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions, low-carbon development strategy, Ukraint EU Association Agreement.

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