On the Way to Green” Ukraine: National Consulting Workshop at Scientific and Research Economic Institute (SREI)

National consulting workshop aimed at discussion of strategic approaches to “green” economy and strategy of sustainable consumption and production under the program "Greening Economies in the European Union's Eastern Partnership Countries" (EaP GREEN) took place at Scientific and Research Economic Institute in Kyiv.

National workshop organized in Ukraine became one of the first steps made in the direction to "green" economy. The workshop focused on existing initiatives in the country, presentation of a concept and expertise in the area of introduction of “green” economy sustainable consumption and production (SCP) principles, as well as discussion and coordination of the following actions aimed at the development and implementation of activities including preliminary research, economic modeling, all interested parties’ involvement and state policy analysis.

One of the program peculiarities is support of its implementation by four international organizations: Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNEC), the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Each of these organizations works in its area to support Eastern Partnership in enhancing analysis capacity, political instruments and opportunities facilitating transfer to "green" economy. Currently many opportunities are available as economic model applied in these countries before was characterized by excessive consumption of energy and natural resources and resulted in significant pollution. It constituted a threat to population, as well as to natural capital influencing sustainable economic activity. The program is in compliance with the obligations approved during Warsaw Eastern Partnership Summit in September 2011.

The workshop was attended by the representatives of Ministry of Economic Activity and Trade of Ukraine, international organizations, other ministries and agencies, scientific institutions, financial organizations, consulting and business companies.

The representatives of the Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production Center presented materials about the project on resource efficient and cleaner production as one of the "green" economy components.