Fundamentals of State Climate Policy

he Law “On the Fundamental Principles of State Climate Policy” (No. 11310) was adopted by Members of Parliament in response to demands from leading environmental civil society organizations and European partners. It establishes a legal framework for the further development of Ukraine’s national climate policy. The document defines the responsibilities and powers of public authorities, as well as a list of secondary legislation that must be developed subsequently.

Importantly, the law introduces the principle of nature-based approaches as a priority: the preservation of natural ecosystems must be prioritized when making decisions aimed at achieving the objectives of state climate policy. This means that public authorities or local governments must not implement climate mitigation or adaptation measures that result in the destruction of natural ecosystems.

One year after its adoption, the European Commission, in its report, recognized this legal act as a significant achievement.

The law was supported by 284 Members of Parliament. In practice, almost all parliamentary factions and groups voted in favor of the bill. Abstentions were recorded from members of the “Batkivshchyna” faction.