Shifting Gears: Navigating the Roadblocks to Renewable Integration in Eastern Partnership Countrie

The Ukraine Pavilion at COP29 hosted a discussion on ‘Shifting Gears: Navigating the Roadblocks to Renewable Integration in Eastern Partnership Countries’. The discussion, organised by European Commission, was attended by representatives of the government, parliament, business and international partners of Ukraine.

‘Successful integration of renewable energy sources is critical to achieving energy independence and climate resilience in our countries,’ said Svitlana Grynchuk, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, at the panel’s opening.

The panellists highlighted the great potential of solar and wind energy for the Eastern Partnership region. Despite the war and other obstacles, including administrative and regulatory ones, the participants agreed on the need to set ambitious goals and accelerate the deployment of renewable energy.

Simon Benmarraze, Team Leader at the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), presented the study’s results. This is the first comprehensive assessment of the region’s renewable energy landscape, providing insights into synergies between countries and opportunities for cross-border cooperation.

Gert Jan Koopman, Director-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations at the European Commission, said the EU is committed to working together on a green transition to enhance energy security and promote sustainable energy.

Oleh Bondarenko, a Member of the Verkhovna Rada, noted that the laws being adopted by the parliament aim to achieve climate neutrality in Ukraine by 2050 and reduce the use of fossil fuels.