Climate change, constant floods and droughts, global youth climate strikes, Greta Thunberg. Everyone heard about it. Lately, the topic of global warming has ceased to be just something from apocalyptic Hollywood films and became part of our everyday life.
Ukraine is no exception. The examples are easy to see – this October became the warmest month in almost 40 years, and the Indian summer was one of the hottest during all the years of observation.
Climate change does not occur by itself. There are several reasons for it and the main one is fossil fuels. Ukraine is still dependent on oil, gas and especially coal. Burning it is the greatest cause of climate change, it pollutes the environment and threatens public health. Mines, factories and coal-fired power plants emit hundreds of kilograms of dangerous greenhouse gases and toxic substances into the atmosphere, water and soil.
Is Ukraine ready to phase out coal? Here are the steps it should take to achieve it.
How it is done elsewhere
Ukraine will not be the first country to face the closure of mines and coal phase-out. To make sure we are not alone, let’s look at the European experience.
Germany is a leading country not only in coal production but also in getting rid of it. It was the first to realize the need to shut down unprofitable and harmful coal-fired power plants. The country began to reduce its coal consumption 70 years ago, and earlier this year agreed to end reliance on coal-fired power plants by 2038.
France will give up coal-powered generation by 2022 and the UK by 2025. In September 2019, Greece and Hungary announced at the United Nations Climate Summit in New York that they would phase out coal by 2028 and 2030, respectively. The Czech Republic has not yet made an official decision to get rid of coal, but the country has already carried out a program to transform the mining regions.
Europe’s plan to gradually phase out coal has its explanation. One of the reasons is that the EU has a commitment under the Paris Agreement to combat climate change. But another additional reason is the change in the public’s mentality. Thousands of young people have been raising their voices during Global Climate Strikes to force politicians to act now, which gives a new dimension to the political need to fulfill its legal obligations.
In Ukraine
The Ukrainian coal sector has been in a state of continued decline for the past 30 years. Overall annual coal production plummeted from 164 million tons in 1990 to 33 million tons in 2018. Sixty-eight state coal enterprises were liquidated since 2004. As of now, 19 coal mines are in the process of shutting down or are preparing for it. Currently, 33 state-owned coal mines are still in operation with 29 of them being unprofitable.
The number of mineworkers who lost their jobs since Ukraine became independent is also quite shocking. Almost 1 million worked in the industry in 1990, but as of 2018 this number dramatically decreased to 42,000.
Is Donbas ready to give up coal?
Obviously, the majority of the working population in Donbas is not ready for the closure of mines. Today, this is their only source of income – if they lose their jobs, they won’t be able to do something else for the same money.
Moreover, how can Ukraine get rid of coal if there is still no alternative? The idea to stop extracting our own fossil fuels in order to buy them from other countries seems absurd.
However, the future without coal is inevitable. Young people are fleeing coal towns for big cities to find career opportunities. This is the consequence of both the war in Donbas and the lack of understanding of what awaits state coal enterprises in the future.
Recommendations for Ukraine
In May 2019, representatives of six coal mining towns of the Donetsk Oblast (Vuhledar, Dobropillia, Myrnohrad, Novohrodivka, Pokrovsk, Selydove) established a Platform for Sustainable Development. It aims to strengthen partnerships for the social and economic development of the region, transform the image of these territories and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
One of the potential projects of the Platform is related to clean energy. It is planned to install solar power plants and collectors on the roofs of municipal buildings in all of the Platform’s cities. In addition, the local government of Myrnohrad wants to transform its coal mine into a Museum of Industry.
Local initiatives are good, but it’s not enough. The Ukrainian government must develop a comprehensive strategy for a just transition away from coal. At all stages of the development and implementation of the Strategy, the government must cooperate with the regions. Local needs, interests and responsibilities should come first. For this purpose, it is necessary to unite the interested parties in a so-called Commission for Structural Changes that will make recommendations for the national government.
Local agencies should be set up in each region to develop their own economic and social development programs. New educational institutions, R&D centers, industrial and technological parks should be created in the affected regions as well. Energy production from fossil fuels must be replaced by more sustainable and environmentally friendly sources.
The most pressing issue is finance. The state should stop providing direct and indirect subsidies to mines and forward the funds to the regional development needs of the regions. Funds for economic diversification, infrastructure development, pensions, and education should be created to support change.
Kostiantyn Krynytskyi is the Just Transition Campaign coordinator at Ecoaction, a Ukrainian environmental non-profit.
