The EBA calls for a revision of Ukraine’s climate targets, taking into account wartime and economic realities

02/ 09/ 2025

Listen to online Stop   The European Business Association has repeatedly stressed the need to revise the targets of Ukraine’s Second Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC-2) to the Paris Agreement. In particular, the EBA’s Industrial Ecology and Sustainable Development Committee prepared its own analytical study “Establishing and Implementing the Nationally Determined Contribution while Preserving the Ukrainian Economy: Key Challenges and Solutions.” The EBA appreciates the partial consideration of business proposals regarding the introduction of periodic reviews of NDC-2 targets. At the same time, the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture proposes reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 68–73% of 1990 levels by 2035. However, experts from the EBA’s Industrial Ecology and Sustainable Development Committee emphasise that the formation of climate targets must take into account the consequences of the war, as a significant part of enterprises have been destroyed or forced to cease operations, with the main burden falling on the companies that continue to function. In this regard, business underlines: climate commitments must be realistic and achievable so as not to create excessive pressure or further undermine the competitiveness of Ukrainian producers. The decarbonisation of Ukraine’s economy and the achievement of climate goals cannot come at the expense of deindustrialisation and economic contraction. The implementation of climate policy should ensure environmental transformation while at the same time preserving and developing economic activity. The EBA therefore calls on the Government to revise Ukraine’s climate commitments, adapting them to wartime and economic conditions so that they remain realistic, achievable, and fair for business.

The European Business Association has repeatedly stressed the need to revise the targets of Ukraine’s Second Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC-2) to the Paris Agreement. In particular, the EBA’s Industrial Ecology and Sustainable Development Committee prepared its own analytical study “Establishing and Implementing the Nationally Determined Contribution while Preserving the Ukrainian Economy: Key Challenges and Solutions.”

The EBA appreciates the partial consideration of business proposals regarding the introduction of periodic reviews of NDC-2 targets. At the same time, the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture proposes reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 68–73% of 1990 levels by 2035.

However, experts from the EBA’s Industrial Ecology and Sustainable Development Committee emphasise that the formation of climate targets must take into account the consequences of the war, as a significant part of enterprises have been destroyed or forced to cease operations, with the main burden falling on the companies that continue to function.

In this regard, business underlines: climate commitments must be realistic and achievable so as not to create excessive pressure or further undermine the competitiveness of Ukrainian producers. The decarbonisation of Ukraine’s economy and the achievement of climate goals cannot come at the expense of deindustrialisation and economic contraction. The implementation of climate policy should ensure environmental transformation while at the same time preserving and developing economic activity.

The EBA therefore calls on the Government to revise Ukraine’s climate commitments, adapting them to wartime and economic conditions so that they remain realistic, achievable, and fair for business.