Ukraine’s efforts and plans to reduce methane emissions were discussed at the Ukrainian pavilion at COP29
On 13 November , within the framework of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29), DiXi Group co-organised a discussion “Tracking and Tackling Methane Emissions in Ukraine: Policies and Actions to Achieve Global Methane Pledge Goal”.
Opening the event, the moderator of the discussion, DiXi Group Research Director Roman Nitsovych, noted that even during the war, Ukraine is focused on achieving its climate goals.
Thus, Ukraine is one of 158 parties that joined the 2021 Global Methane Pledge (GMP) during the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow. This global initiative aims to reduce methane emissions by 30% from 2020 levels by 2030.
According to Viktoriia Kyreieva, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, the Global Commitment is one of the most effective ways to slow down global climate change. Our country is beginning to make its contribution: last year, the Government outlined specific steps to achieve global goals. DiXi Group is helping by exploring opportunities to reduce emissions in the oil and gas sector.
Ukrainian companies are also gradually implementing the highest standards of monitoring and reporting according to the OGMP 2.0 (Oil and Gas Methane Partnership) standard, including Naftogaz of Ukraine and the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine.
‘The work we are doing with the assistance of DiXi Group and all the partners who helped organise this event and attract representatives of leading industry companies is extremely important not only for our country but also for the whole world,’ the Deputy Minister said.
She emphasised that methane is one of the strongest greenhouse gases, and its impact on climate change is 80 times more powerful than that of CO₂ in the short term. ‘Reducing methane emissions is one of the most effective ways to slow down global warming,’ emphasised Victoriia Kyreieva.
Dan Dorner , Head of the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Office of Strategic Initiatives, assured that many countries are well positioned to reduce methane emissions, citing the experience of those with high operational standards and policies.
‘We are pleased to offer Ukraine capacity building, political support for the government and a coordinated approach with industry to reduce methane emissions,’ assured Mr Dorner. ‘Together with international partners, the IEA stands ready to further facilitate government and industry initiatives and support you on your way to achieving your energy and climate goals.
Ukraine can take advantage of the resources of international organisations, among which Claire Wang , Senior Advisor to the US Special Representative for Climate Change, has identified three key ones. These include the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, the International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO), and the World Bank’s Global Flaring and Methane Reduction Partnership initiative.
‘The first step is to understand and identify where the methane emissions are coming from, often through known operational practices and infrastructure features,’ said Claire Wang.
Speaking about the coal industry, Net Zero World Initiative coordinator in Ukraine Nazar Kholod emphasised: “We can stop coal production, but we will still have methane emissions from abandoned and closed mines, so we need a strategy that will focus on them, not just active mines. We have developed a methodology for measuring such emissions, and we need to further improve it by using satellite data for monitoring and create a national register of all coal mines.”
Anthony Marino , Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Naftogaz, spoke about the company’s efforts to reduce emissions as part of its green transformation.
Bobby Chopra, Energy Transition Services Manager at Doris Group, shared the preliminary results of a study on methane emissions in the oil and gas sector, which DiXi Group is conducting with the support of USAID.
‘We have political support from both the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Environment, and this is a unique opportunity for action,’ Roman Nitsovych summed up the importance of joint efforts to achieve the GMP goal, ‘We finally have an integrated approach, and this adds optimism to our prospects.
The discussion ‘Tracking and Reducing Methane Emissions in Ukraine: Policies and Actions to Achieve the Global Methane Pledge Goal’ was organised by DiXi Group and Net Zero World Initiative in cooperation with the International Energy Agency and supported by the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine at COP29.
To watch the discussion, please follow the link: https://youtu.be/UZAae0vvKTU?si=BdLNu-Luss8KsNwQ
