Former ambassadors about investing in Ukraine’s future

Three former American ambassadors to Kiev, John E. Herbst, Steven Pifer and William B. Taylor, Jr.,expressed their views regarding Ukraine's current situation and its future. A new Ukraine was born in the Maidan, but the United States and Europe have thus far failed to make an adequate commitment to its success. With Ukraine’s economic output having shrunk by a quarter, the currency sharply devalued and a population fearful of an uncertain future, Ukraine is teetering on the brink.
Appropriately funding efforts to improve Ukraine’s stability is a down payment on Europe’s collective security. U.S.Congress and the Obama administration should work together to provide an additional $2 billion to $5 billion in economic support. At the same time, Washington should seek to persuade the European Union to make a similar commitment for a total of $10 billion, the optimal amount of support to allow Ukraine’s government room to maneuver. However, any future assistance package must be made conditional on the Ukrainian government’s commitment to accelerate reform and root out corruption. Read more at http://www.nytimes.com

Ukraine needs to upgrade existing nuclear reactors as it has been done in other countries

About half of electricity power generation in Ukraine comes from nuclear power plants (NPPs). Currently, there are 4 NPPs with 15 reactors that have net capacity of 13.17 gigawatt (GWe). Ukraine has lost control over territories that supplied coal for thermal power plants.  As a result, it has now faces a choice to import coal either from those territories, from Russia, or from other countries.
Ukraine also imports almost 100% of its nuclear power plant fuel from Russia with planned expansion from the USA  - in 2015 14 out of 15 reactors were supplied by Russia and 1 by the USA’s Westinghouse. One of the ways to improve the situation is to upgrade existing reactors as has been done in other countries.This will make energy cheaper, and will decrease reliance on coal, and through substitution effect can somewhat limit demand for imported gas. Read more at http://voxukraine.org/

China and Ukraine develop closer economic ties

China is one of Ukraine’s most important customers - 90% of China’s imported corn and 95% of imported sunflower oil comes from Ukraine. There are plans for China to invest in Ukraine’s energy industry, infrastructure and construction. There is also significant ongoing cooperation between two countries in military equipment production. Read more at http://www.breitbart.com

Economist: Ukraine is still at risk of long-lasting stagnation?

The economy, which shrank by about a fifth since 2013, grew by 0.7% in the third quarter, relative to the second. Consumption started to grow and firms are hiring again - the unemployment rate has fallen from 11% to 9% in recent months. The government’s finances also look much more healthy because of dramatic spending cuts, and the budget is in surplus so far for 2015.
The National Bank of Ukraine has done a good job of cleaning up the banks. In one-and-a-half years about 60 of the 180-odd banks that existed before the crisis have been shut down and others are being recapitalized. 
Yet the Hryvnia, Ukraine’s currency, which has lost 70% of its value over the past two years, is sliding again; government-bond yields are rising. A quarter of outstanding consumer loans and a third of the mortgages are in default. Real wages have fallen by 25% in the past year and high inflation has diminished the value of savings. Significant investment is needed to spur exports, since in the past three years capital spending has fallen by 40%. 
 At the same time, government's efforts to tackle corruption are not visible. The government has failed to increase the derisory salaries of civil servants, making corruption especially hard to resist. There is a risk that the hugely unpopular government may collapse, possibly opening the doors for a resurgence of pro-Russian parties. For all the improvement in Ukraine’s circumstances, the country’s prospects remain horribly uncertain.  Read more at http://www.economist.com

Key provisions of the Paris Agreement to combat climate change

Paris Agreement to combat climate change and unleash actions and investment towards a low carbon, resilient and sustainable future was agreed by 195 nations in Paris on December 12, 2015. The agreement’s main aim is to keep a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius and to drive efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

The crucial areas identified as essential for a landmark conclusion:

- Mitigation – reducing emissions fast enough to achieve the temperature goal

- A transparency system and global stock-take – accounting for climate action

- Adaptation – strengthening ability of countries to deal with climate impacts

- Loss and damage – strengthening ability to recover from climate impacts

- Support – including finance, for nations to build clean, resilient futures

So far 188 countries contributed national climate action plans that detail their future objectives to address climate change. Countries will submit updated climate plans – called nationally determined contributions (NDCs) – every five years, thereby steadily increasing their ambition in the long-term. They will work together to define a clear roadmap on ratcheting up climate finance to USD 100 billion by 2020.

The agreement’s robust transparency and accounting system will provide clarity on countries’ implementation efforts, with flexibility for countries’ differing capabilities.

The Paris Agreement underwrites adequate support to developing nations and establishes a global goal to significantly strengthen adaptation to climate change through support and international cooperation.

The agreement includes a global stocktake starting in 2023 to assess the collective progress towards the goals of the agreement. The stocktake will be done every five years.

The agreement includes a compliance mechanism, overseen by a committee of experts that operates in a non-punitive way.

Under the Kyoto Protocol, there is now a clear and transparent accounting method for carry-over credits for the second commitment period, creating a clear set of rules.

A number of technical and implementation issues related to the existing arrangements on technology, adaptation, action for climate empowerment and capacity building were also successfully concluded.

Read more at http://newsroom.unfccc.int/

Ukraine has declared the state of emergency in the energy sector

Governmental order was adopted at the proposal of the Energy and Coal Industry Ministry "in order to overcome the effects of prolonged disruptions in the electricity market following the accidents in the united energy system of Ukraine, caused by damage to electric power plants and their components, structures, and in order to ensure reliable, smooth (stable) operation of the united energy system of Ukraine".
The state of emergency began on December 15 and will last till January 15, 2016. Read more at http://www.ukrinform.net

Sweden has launched an energy efficiency projects in Ukraine

Isabelle Lövin, Swedish Minister for Development and Cooperation tells Hromadske in an exclusive interview: “Ukraine is using three times more energy per person than an average European Union citizen. ...we are talking about a waste of energy, 60% or 70%. So you can actually save that and it's also a way to win in energy independence”. Watch more on YouTube

South Ukraine nuclear power plant got a life extension until the end of 2025

The unit 2 was shut down on 10 May, two days before the expiry of its design lifetime, for major upgrading over 300 days costing $114 million to enable a 10-year life extension. Upgrading work at the reactor included replacement of obsolete equipment and implementation of 'post-Fukushima' safety measures.
Energoatom, the state-run operator of all 15 of Ukraine's nuclear power reactors, said today that the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine had approved the life extension for South Ukraine 2 at a board meeting on 7 December. The South Ukraine nuclear power plant consists of three VVER-1000 reactors with a total installed capacity of 3000 MWe. Last year, the plant generated 18.6 billion kWh of electricity, which was 5.8 billion kWh (31%) more than in 2013.  Read more at http://www.world-nuclear-news.org

Paris climate deal have signalled an end to the fossil fuel era

It took almost two decades to come to an ambitious agreement to hold states to emissions targets. Negotiators from nearly 200 countries signed on to a legal agreement in Paris to cut greenhouse gas emissions and to avoid the most dangerous effects of climate change.
The agreement, which set a new goal to reach net zero emissions in the second half of the century, sent a powerful signal to global markets, hastening the transition away from fossil fuels and to a clean energy economy.  Read more at http://www.theguardian.com/

Ukraine: costs of coal import exceeded $1.5 billion for 11 month of 2015

Total amount of coal imported so far in 2015 is 13.3 million ton. About half of the coal import came from Russia, quarter - from the U.S., and the rest - from Australia, South Africa and other countries. Net import in 2015 have increased in one and half times comparing to 2014, and in almost four times, if compared to 2013.
Dramatic drop of domestic coal production - by more than 50% during last two years, as the result of military conflict in Donbass region, led to necessity to increase its import. 85 of 150 Ukrainian coal mines are located within occupied territories in Donbass, and 60 of them are specialized in thermal coal production. Read more at http://uaenergy.com.ua

Government approved national action plan for energy efficiency till 2020

Plan, approved by the governmental resolution No. 1228 of November 25, is one of the important steps towards the implementation of 2006/32/EU directive on energy end-use efficiency and energy services. The interim goal of the national plan is to  reduce domestic energy consumption in 2017 by 5% compared to average energy consumption in 2005-2009.
Among other measures, government plans in 2016 to pass a bill on revoking customs and tax preferences for imports of energy efficient equipment and appliances, what should create equal conditions for their manufacturing within the country.  Read more at interfax.com.ua

Does Europe need expensive new Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline?

Nord Stream 2 is clearly seen as a threat to EU supply security. On 26^th November 10 EU Member States forwarded a letter to the European Commission objecting to the proposed NordStream 2 (estimated cost is EUR 10 billion) and requesting the Commission to undertake a close examination of the compatibility of the proposed new pipeline with EU law. Obviously, NordStream 2 is also a threat to Ukraine - the current transit arrangements net Ukraine more than  $2 billion of revenue per year.
To remove Western fears regarding security of natural gas supply Ukraine needs to move rapidly to fully reform its gas market. Pushing ahead with all the third energy package reforms will give EU states greater confidence in the operation of the Ukrainian gas market and Ukraine’s commitment to ensuring supply security. Read more at http://www.naturalgaseurope.com and
http://www.newsweek.com 

Financial Times about Ukrainian export and economy

Despite Ukraine’s exports have fallen sharply this year because of economic recession, the proportion going to the EU has jumped from below 25 per cent in 2012 to almost 35 per cent in the first seven months of this year. Trade with China has risen from about 5 per cent to 8 per cent in the same period. Trade with Russia halved year-on-year in the first nine months of this year — and things could get worse.
Moscow has threatened to raise tariffs and eliminate all trade preferences if the EU-Ukraine free trade deal goes fully into effect as planned in January. Though Ukraine’s economy is expected to contract by 9 per cent this year, there are signs the trend has bottomed out, with confirmation this month that third-quarter output increased 0.7 per cent from the previous quarter. Read more at http://www.ft.com

Paris climate summit: if not now, then when?

Nearly 200 countries were expected to agree on collective action to fight climate change in Copenhagen in 2009. For the first time, the United Nations claimed, countries were on the verge of reducing the greenhouse gas emissions. However hopes were buried during two weeks of misunderstanding and mistrust. 

Six years later, countries are poised to gather once again in an effort to reach a deal to halt climate change. Next week’s meeting in Paris will be the 21st annual UN climate summit and the pressure to reach an accord is higher than ever. Read more at http://www.theguardian.com/

How to win energy battle?

Ukraine is facing two existential crises: the war in the east and troubled economy. Now is the time for Ukraine to press hard on energy reform because Russia uses energy to exert influence over Ukraine and the energy sector has been a black hole of corruption in the country.
Ukraine is dangerously dependent on energy import - less than half of total gas consumed was extracted inside the country and the rest was imported from Russia. A majority of crude oil and oil products were imported from Russia and Belarus. Coal was the only source extracted inside the country in large enough quantities to supply the nation, but situation have dramatically changed since the beginning of the military conflict in Donbass. Read more at http://www.atlanticcouncil.org

Ukrainian government adopts framework for ESCO agreements

Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the model energy service agreement (ESA) in line with the new Law No. 327-VIII “On the Implementation of New Investment Opportunities, Ensuring Rights and Legitimate Interests of Individual Entrepreneurs for the Performance of Large-Scale Energy Sector Modernisation”, adopted by Parliament on 9 April 2015. Public institutions may now execute ESAs with private energy service companies (“ESCOs”) following the applicable public procurement procedures.
ESCOs will be paid for their services out of the funds saved by the customers due to the energy efficiency measures. Government intends  to implement international ESA practice, which is widely recognised as an efficient financial vehicle for funding energy efficiency programmes. Read more at http://www.cms-lawnow.com

E-book for Ukrainian entrepreneurs on doing business with partners from EU

EU Delegation to Ukraine supported publication of the new electronic book "Business Internationalisation and Entry to European Union Markets", which offers advice on how to find business partners in the EU, prepare to export and get financing.
This publication is based on the best international and Ukrainian practices and provides for a comprehensive presentation of export planning, exporting channels, export marketing and branding. It also discusses the opportunities for Ukrainian exporters to get support from Ukrainian and international institutions, and covers regulatory information related to food and agriculture as one of the fastest growing core sectors of Ukrainian economy. Read more at http://eeas.europa.eu

Ukraine's third quarter GDP advances 0.7% after 18 months of recession

The annual decline eased to 7 percent from 14.6 percent in the second quarter and as high as 17.2 percent in the first. A cease-fire in Ukraine’s 19-month conflict with pro-Russian militants has allowed companies to boost production and decrease pressure on the Hryvnia.
According to investment bank Dragon Capital, economy growth may only rebound by 1 percent to 2 percent in 2016. Reforms, including a crackdown on corruption, are key to further support from the IMF and other partners. Read more at http://www.bloomberg.com

Ukraine now is buying more natural gas from the EU than from Russia

The energy transport operator Eustream in Slovakia reports a rise in Ukrainian imports from the EU: 20.662 million cubic meters of gas on Nov. 8, 22.977 million cubic meters on Nov. 9 and 27.07 million cubic meters on Nov 10. Meanwhile Ukraine’s state-run Ukrtransgaz reports that Ukraine imported 42.303 million cubic meters of Russian gas on Nov. 7, 24.097 million cubic meters on Nov. 8 and only 10.069 million cubic meters on Nov. 9.
There are several independent traders that have been importing gas from EU members Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, according to the Association of Gas Traders of Ukraine. The average price of both EU and Russian gas imported to Ukraine in the third quarter of 2015 fell by $2 from the previous quarter to $226 per 1,000 cubic meters. Read more at http://oilprice.com

Businessman about bringing Ukraine's economy back to life

Bate C. Toms, who have been working in Ukraine for a long time, states, that  for quick recovery of its private sector Ukraine needs (1) to identify and facilitate foreign, as well as domestic, investment in sectors where significant economic growth is presently feasible, (2) to provide for political risk insurance for such investments, and (3) to ensure better rule of law protection in Ukraine for investment, principally by creating a legal ombudsman to stop abuses of law against investors and allow investors to feel secure legally. He considers irrigation farming, port and freight railways development, tourism, IT/software development, energy and financial sectors as priority areas for investments.
The legal ombudsman is to be an eminent jurist, like the legal ombudsman in Sweden where this institution was first used in the early twentieth century to address corruption in their courts.
Bate C. Toms had many years of oil and gas experience, including for U.S. and U.K. exploration and development, before coming to Ukraine, where he handled most of the initial legal work for Western investment in Ukrainian oil and gas projects.  Read more at www.kyivpost.com

EurActive: Poland wants EU to ban Nord Stream 2

According to Poland's incoming conservative Minister for EU Affairs, Konrad Szymański,plans to build the Nord Stream 2 pipeline "go far beyond matters of energy, because in our region of Europe, the gas trade has strategic consequences". He also pointed to the risk that a Russian monopoly on gas supplies to the EU could violate the bloc's competition rules.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk also blasted the Gazprom plan earlier this month, claiming it would cost his country $2 billion a year in lost revenue.He further argued the move would respectively deprive EU members Slovakia and Poland of $800 million and $300 million in revenue each year. 
In June, Russian energy giant Gazprom agreed with its western European partners - Anglo-Dutch Shell, Germany's E.ON, France's ENGIE and Austria's OMV - to build the second gas pipeline to Germany, bypassing conflict-torn Ukraine, but also its EU neighbour Poland.The pipeline under the Baltic Sea would have a capacity of 55 billion cubic metres per year and would double the flow of the existing Nord Stream pipeline currently linking the two countries.  Read more at http://www.euractiv.com

End of the Coal Age in Ukraine?

In 2013, with a share of 35.8% in the energy mix, coal was Ukraine’s most important primary energy source, followed by natural gas with 34.1% and nuclear with 18.9%. Coal in Ukraine was mainly used for power generation, the metallurgical industry and heating utilities. Total consumption, according to different statistics, was between 61 and 74 million tons (2012). Net imports amounted to around nine million tons.
Because of the conflict in Donbass, Ukraine has lost control over the coal heartlands of the country. Even regardless of the outcome of the conflict, mines are only able to survive with subsidies. In this situation the government should develop a phase-out strategy to make a transition to a sustainable energy economy - this is a conclusion of the report Towards the End of the Coal Age in Ukraine?, published with support of the Heinrich Böll Stiftung.  Read more at www.energypost.eu

Ukrainian reforms are in danger

Despite some reforms attempts  by a new generation of bureaucrats, Ukraine's economy remains unreformed. Taxes are oppressive but widely evaded, the shadow economy is growing and the regulatory climate for business has barely improved. The International Monetary Fund, the country's biggest source of hard currency recently revised this year's projection to an 11 percent decline.
Ukraine's justice system remains incredibly corrupt. The grip of oligarchs and a corrupt bureaucracy on what's left of the Ukrainian economy has proven too strong, the schemes too entrenched.Ukrainian civil society is stunted by these powerful vested interests. Unless the current political elite finds it in itself to clean up, Ukraine's history of violent regime change is probably not over yet. Read more at www.bloombergview.com

China is going to enter Ukrainian solar power market

A Ukrainian government has granted permission for China's state-run corporation CNBM to buy 10 Ukrainian solar units. The plants, in Odessa and Mykolayiv regions, were built by Activ Solar firm.
The share of electricity produced from renewable energy sources in Ukraine accounts for about 1.3 percent of the total. Read more at http://www.reuters.com/

Snapchat buys Ukrainian-developed mobile startup for 150 mln USD

The U.S.-based developer of mobile applications Snapchat has finalized the deal to buy a Ukrainian-developed mobile startup Looksery, which features a real time face-changing technology. The technology was launched in 2013 by a team of developers from Ukraine's southern city of Odessa and has since reached around 10 million downloads on different mobile platforms.
Last time the successful acquisition of a Ukrainian project was made in 2012, when Google Inc. bought Ukrainian facial recognition software Viewdle for about USD 45 million.  Read more at http://uatoday.tv

Ukraine as EU's partner in creating Energy Union

Vice-President of the European Commission Maros Sefcovic said during his speech in the Peterson Institute for International Economics that such countries as Ukraine, Moldova, the Eastern Balkan countries  can be EU's partners in creating Energy Union.
The Energy Union is an integrated program embracing a rage of legislative, administrative and technological solutions aimed at promoting the creation of a single European energy market, the creation of a full-scale energy infrastructure to ensure  decrease in foreign dependence. Read more at http://www.ukrinform.net

Westinghouse proposes the program to improve safety and efficiency of Ukrainian nuclear power plants

Top Westinghouse executive and Ukrainian officials discussed a comprehensive program to implement efficiency and safety improvements to the country’s nuclear fleet, which provide significant energy supply and security for Ukraine.
Westinghouse is the most technologically diverse global supplier of nuclear technology and has been working in the Ukrainian market since 1994, bringing diversification of fuel and equipment suppliers, global best practices and innovative technology. In December 2014, Westinghouse and the National Nuclear Energy Generating Company agreed to significantly increase fuel deliveries to Ukrainian nuclear power plants. Read more at http://www.businesswire.com

Ukraine needs to attract foreign investors in $18 billion renewable energy market

According to Deputy Economic Development Minister Yuliya Kovaliv, Ukrainian government wants 11 percent of Ukraine’s power to come from renewable resources, mainly biomass, by 2020. Ukraine needs foreign investors to help it reach its target in a market worth about 16 billion euros ($18 billion), she said.
Country already has  about 3,650 megawatts in thermal power capacity from biomass, and can set aside about 4 million hectares of agricultural land for energy crops without any risk to agriculture.  Read more at http://www.bloomberg.com

Foreign students bring $500 million of export revenue into Ukrainian economy

Over 63,000 foreign students, or about 4% of total number of students, are currently studying in Ukraine, Deputy Education and Science Minister of Ukraine Oleh Derevianko said at the 3rd Business and Universities National Forum. Derevianko also said that education could be considered as an economic category and a sector that has an export potential. A dynamic development of universities would start with the change of their status from budget-funded institutions to profit-making organizations, which would introduce new principles of financing.
The number of universities in the country should be cut to no more than 60-70 educational institutions (today - 317) which would focus on research. Ukraine is 33rd in the 2015 Bloomberg innovative countries ranking. Expenses on education in Ukraine totaled 6.7% of the country's GDP, and expenses on research work – 0.8% of GDP. Read more at http://interfax.com.ua

EBRD and Ukraine signed a loan agreement tied to a programme of corporate governance reforms at NJSC Naftogaz

Naftogaz will use the $300 million loan to tender for purchases of about 1.1 billion cubic meters of gas needed for heating season. The loan is conditional upon a programme of corporate restructuring at NJSC Naftogaz, including the creation of a supervisory board of independent and qualified directors, the introduction of internal audit, compliance, anti-corruption and risk management functions and an ownership and governance structure in line with best international practice.
The EBRD’s loan to NJSC Naftogaz is a three-year revolving facility, which means that the company will be able to pay back and re-borrow this amount over the next three years, to facilitate advance gas purchases ahead of winters. Several major global suppliers have already expressed interest in providing the gas during a pre-qualification process which was completed according to the EBRD’s tender requirements. Read more at http://www.finchannel.com

Energy Community has extended deadline for reducing Ukrainian thermal power plants harmful emissions by 9-11 years

The deadlines for achieving the targets have been moved from 2018-2024 to 2029-2033 years. The Energy Community also has agreed to make an exception for Ukraine and increase twofold the service life for the power units, which cannot be upgraded, to 40,000 hours.
These decisions were taken by the Energy Community's Ministerial Council in Tirana (Albania) on October 16.   Read more at http://en.interfax.com.ua

In 2014, Ukraine ran short of coal needs by about 5 million tons

The government has lost access to 55 of its 90 state-owned mines and output fell 22.3 percent, leading to black- and brown-outs and energy rationing across the country., according to the Energy Ministry.  Coal accounts for a quarter of electricity generation in Ukraine and is also vital for household heating and metal production.
Half of coal-fired utilities are designed to burn only anthracite, found in abundance in eastern Ukraine. The government doesn’t have much choice other than to buy coal from either the separatists or Russia. Energy Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn told reporters in September that Ukraine will be getting around 600,000 tons of coal from the east each month. Read more at http://www.bloomberg.com

Ex-Prime Minister of Japan: Ukraine and Japan can set example of nuclear phase-out

Two countries have learned hard lessons after the nuclear power disasters at the Chernobyl NPP in 1986 and the Fukushima plant in 2011 and should cooperate on  transition to alternative energy sources. This statement 94th Prime Minister of Japan Naoto Kan made during the press conference at the Ukrinform news agency.
"Ukraine has great potential for transition to alternative energy sources," he said, noting that Ukraine has ample opportunity to develop safe energy due to the large territory and rich natural resources. Read more at http://www.ukrinform.net.

Ukrainian renewable energy development almost stopped in 2015

Just 11 MW of new renewable energy generation capacity were put into operation during 9 month of 2015, while in 2014 and 2013 the new installations capacities were 231 MW and 520 MW respectively. Weakening of "green" tariff and tax incentives, as well as still existing administrative  and bureaucratic barriers are the main reasons of industry's stagnation.
It puts fulfillment of Ukrainian commitment under Energy Community to reach the share of renewable power generation  as 11% of total power generation in significant risk. Currently Ukraine generates only 6.4% of electricity from renewable sources. Read more at http://uaenergy.com.ua

EU heating strategy: more district heating and renewables

The European Commission (EC) is finalising recommendations on heating and cooling with an intention to update EU energy legislation and possibly draft new directives. Currently heating and cooling account for around 40% of European Union energy consumption, but are only indirectly targeted by existing EU policies, which focus more on power production with renewable energy.
Renewable energy already accounts for 26% of electricity production in the EU but just 16.4% of heating and cooling. EC estimates that half of Europe's heat demand is in areas where population density is high enough for district heating infrastructure, which would be more efficient than alternatives and could cover 40% to 70% of EU heat demand.  Read more at http://www.euractiv.com

Yulia Tymoshenko: "Gas sector reform must start with the liquidation of Naftohaz"

Batkivshchyna Party leader Yulia Tymoshenko said that intermediaries must be eliminated and direct contracts for the supply of natural gas to households should be signed, what will result in lower tariffs for natural gas.
She made this statement during the debates “Higher Tariffs for Households – need or result of poor planning” at the Ukraine Crisis Media Center. She blamed the government for selling almost 5.6 billion cubic meters of domestic natural gas using corruption schemes. Read more at http://www2.tymoshenko.ua/

Foods with the biggest carbon footprint

According to the report published by two American research organizations and called the "Meat Eater's Guide to climate change + health", meats are among most carbon intensive foods. Lamb is a leader with 39.2 kg CO2 per kilogram, what is equivalent to  driving about 90 miles on the car with average gas mileage.
In top ten foods with the biggest carbon footprint we also find  beef - 27 kg CO2, cheese - 13.5 kg CO2, pork - 12.1 kg CO2, farmed salmon - 11.9 kg CO2, chicken - 6.9 kg CO2. Potatoes with 2.9 kg CO2 per kilogram is the only vegetable among top ten most greenhouse gas emitting foods. Research was based on life cycle assessments of greenhouse gas emissions for each major process, from the production and application of fertilizers, pesticides and other materials used to grow crops through to the processing, transportation and disposal of unused food at the retail, institutional and household level.

World Bank about Ukrainian economy and reforms

In its new Ukraine Macroeconomic Update the World Bank says that despite lower GDP growth in 2015, the country’s general fiscal and budget performance has so far been better than anticipated. At the same time, the Bank projects real GDP to fall by 12 percent this year, down from an earlier projected 7.5 percent decline.
The macroeconomic policies adopted by the authorities proved to be effective in mitigating a much more painful impact on the country’s economy, but the on-going conflict in the Donbass has made stabilization more difficult. Along with current unfavorable global economic environment, it has led to a much sharper contraction in the economy. To improve the economy, Ukrainian government have to increase efforts at fighting corruption and improving governance, continue reforms to reduce NAFTOGAZ imbalances and strengthen the energy sector’s capacity, and boost confidence in the banking system.  Read more at http://www.worldbank.org

Agriculture and food processing are the fastest growing sectors of Ukrainian economy

Over the last decade, the structure of the Ukrainian economy has significantly changed. Its obsolete Soviet "heritage" - energy and resource intensive steel production, heavy machine-building and chemical industries - is noncompetitive globally and its output and employment are shrinking quickly. In  2007, the share of agriculture in Ukraine’s GDP was just 6.6% while the processing industry accounted for 19.9%. In 2014, the figures changed to 10.3% and 11.4% respectively.
Ukraine’s position in the global division of labor responded to global demand for various products that the Ukrainian economy could offer based on its natural competitive advantages. While in 2008, food exports from Ukraine constituted $10.82bn or 16.2% of $66.95bn of total exports, in 2014 the share reached $16.67bn, or 30.9% of the total of $53.9bn. Exports in the steel industry - once the main export earner – shrank over the same period from $26.5bn, or 39.6%, in 2008 to $14.6bn, or 27.1%, in 2014, and export of machine building industry decreased for the same period from 16.3% to 13.7% of total export. Read more at http://ukrainianweek.com/

New alternative fuel boilers with total capacity of 740 MW were installed in Ukraine in 2014-2015

According to Chairman of the State Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving, introduction    feed-in tariff incentives and simplified procedure of put into operation allowed to increase significantly the usage of alternative fuels for heating.
Total capacity of newly installed boilers using alternative fuels was 450 MW in 2014 and 290 MW in the first half of 2015. During the last heating season (October 2014 - April 2015) natural gas consumption for  heating purposes was reduced by 2.4 billion cubic meters (12%) due to energy saving measures. Read more at http://uaenergy.com.ua

Ukraine makes carbon reduction pledge ahead of Paris climate change summit

Ukrainian government issued executive order approving Intended Nationally-Determined Contribution (INDC) of Ukraine to a New Global Climate Agreement to keep greenhouse gas emissions under 60% of its 1990 emissions level.
Ukraine emitted 944.4 million tons of CO2 equivalent in 1990 and 375.4 million tons in 2012, or 42.9% of 1990 level. Emission reduction was mainly achieved due to drop of GDP by 30% and decrease of population by 8 million. Recent Russian military aggression in Crimea, Donetsk and Lugansk oblasts destroyed 20% of country's economic potential. Read more at http://www4.unfccc.int/submissions 
Ukrainian national greenhouse gas emission commitment was discussed with participation of government, NGOs and experts (https://www.youtube.com - with English translation) 

The ‘Blue Guide’ on the implementation of EU product rules in Ukraine

‘Blue Guide’ was presented by the experts of EU-funded project “Sector Policy Support Programme to remove Technical Barriers to Trade between the EU and Ukraine” during the conference organized with the support of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine, as well as Kyiv National University of Trade and Economics. Ukraine is the first EU neighborhood country to receive this document in its native language.
‘The Blue Guide’ is widely used in practice by administrators, businesses of all size, including manufacturers, importers and distributors which operate in and with European market.  Experts reported about considerable progress Ukraine made in adopting EU technical regulations. Read more at http://eeas.europa.eu/

Ukraine became the third biggest grain exporter in the world

Ukrainian grain export reached 34.8 million tons per year (11% of world grain market). This makes Ukraine behind only U.S. (70 million tons, 22% of grain market) and EU (48.7 million tons, 15%), but ahead of such traditional grain export leaders as Canada, Russia, Brazil and Argentina.
During last seven years Ukrainian grain export, mainly wheat, corn and barley, was increased in 3.5 times. Recently China became one of the biggest importers of Ukrainian agricultural products with share of 11.5%.  Read more at http://www.unn.com.ua

NAFTOGAZ: Terms of the "winter package", including natural gas price, agreed by the Ukrainian, Russian and European sides

Volodymyr Demchyshyn, Minister of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine, Aleksander Novak, the Russian Energy Minister, and Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President of the European Commission, have discussed and agreed all substantial commitments of the governments of Russia and Ukraine, as well as the European Commission which are to be included in the Binding Protocol within the framework of the new gas supply "winter package".
All key components of the Addendum to the gas supply agreement between Naftogaz and Gazprom have been agreed. The signing of this protocol will require a separate procedure. Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Moscow offered a cut of "about $20" per 1,000 cubic metres from the provisionally set price of US $252. The Wall Street Journal reported that the tentative deal became possible after a $1 billion financing package provided by international financial institutions led by the World Bank. Read more at http://www.naftogaz.com

About coming big sale of state owned enterprises in Ukraine

More than a year ago, Ukrainian govenmrnt announced "the largest privatization in 23 years" and half year ago prepared  the first annual review of the TOP 100 state-owned enterprises (SOEs), which comprise 80% of all the SOE sector revenues and 90% of SOE sector assets. However, over this year: privatization proceeds amounted just USD 467 million.
Recently a list of a dozen companies that are top priorities for privatization is being compiled by government; the action plan on five of them is already in place and waits to be approved by the end of September. The 2015 budget expects USD 17bn in privatization proceeds. 
According to the Ministry of Economy, Ukraine has 3,374 state-owned enterprises as of today.  Only 1,920 out of them are operating.  Cumulatively, they generated losses even before the Maidan. In 2014, their financial performance deteriorated further. Read more at http://ukrainianweek.com/

USAID helps fighting corruption in Ukraine

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Rajiv Shah  announced in June $10 million in additional U.S. support for Ukraine, largely for corruption fighting measures. This includes assistance in areas not previously addressed, by helping Ukrainians develop institutions and mechanisms to better monitor how their government is working for them.
Shah announced the investment during remarks at the Kyiv National Economics University before an audience of students, staff, civil society and government ministers. Over the past 20 years, USAID has invested close to $2 billion in Ukraine to build a stronger more stable economy, develop and strengthen democratic structures, strengthen civil society and provide better healthcare. Read more at https://www.usaid.gov

Two foreign companies begin importing gas to Ukraine and selling it to domestic consumers

This news was announced by Andriy Kobolev, the chairman of the national joint-stock company Naftogaz.

According to Kobolev, Slovak gas transportation system operator Eustream a.s. and U.S. gas trader TrailStone are the first western gas operators which join Ukrainian natural gas market. New participants of the Ukrainian gas sales market are ready to pay VAT for imports of gas to Ukraine (in comparison to the state holding, which has the privilege of not paying VAT).  Read more at http://en.interfax.com.ua