The level of greenhouse gas pollution has increased

Despite the slowdown in production growth rates in the largest sectors emitting greenhouse gases in the first quarter, the level of atmospheric pollution with carbon dioxide increased by 9.6%. This is due to the fact that in the post-crisis period, enterprises increase production mainly due to more active use of outdated technologies, experts note and predict an increase in emissions by about another 5-7%.

The State Statistics Service reported yesterday that carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the first quarter increased by 9.6% compared to the same period last year, to 53.02 million tons. In addition, the volume of emissions of pollutants (nitrogen, sulfur compounds) increased , methane) into the atmosphere from stationary sources - by 5.5%, to 1.14 million tons. The lion's share of total greenhouse gas emissions was generated by the energy sector, metallurgy and chemical industry enterprises. These statistics indicate that greenhouse gas emissions are accelerating. Indeed, for the entire 2010, total carbon dioxide emissions increased by 7% and amounted to 198.2 million tons. The increase in emissions occurred against the background of a decrease in the growth rate of production in the energy sector and industry. Last year, enterprises in these segments increased production by 9.5% and 11.2%, respectively. However, in January-March 2011, the pace of their development decreased by 4.4 and 1.5 percentage points.

According to the standards of the Kyoto Protocol, Ukraine is allowed to annually emit 920 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (1990 level), the excess can be sold. Ukraine sold 47 million units of the established quantity (AAU=1 CO2).

Experts attribute the increase in emissions to the active use of outdated production technologies. “The increase in emissions against the backdrop of a slowdown in the development of key sectors of the economy is due to the fact that during a crisis period, enterprises do not have the opportunity to invest in energy-saving projects, so they are more actively using outdated technologies,” says independent expert Taras Bebeshko. “So far, only large private companies in the fields of energy and metallurgy can implement energy-efficient technologies, so the implementation of their projects to reduce emissions is negligible and does not particularly affect the country’s total emissions,” says Vitaly Vinnychenko, an analyst at the Research Center Ukrbioenergy.

According to Vitaly Fedorchenko, director of the Carbon Investment Ukraine fund, despite the fact that Ukraine has a large emissions quota, it needs to hurry to switch to alternative energy. “There may not be a second period of obligations under the Kyoto Protocol, and, accordingly, the base year will also change. Ukraine will have to look for means to sharply reduce emissions in order to comply with the terms of the global climate agreement,” Mr. Fedorchenko is sure.

Analysts note that by the end of 2011, the growth rate of industry will decrease, while the growth rate of greenhouse gas emissions may increase by another 5-7 percentage points. “The economic situation does not allow Ukrainian enterprises to abandon old equipment en masse, so until the end “We should expect an increase in carbon dioxide emissions by another 5-7 percentage points this year,” believes Mr. Vinnichenko. According to Denis Sakva, an analyst at Dragon Capital Investment Company, if the economic situation does not change, the development of the energy sector will slow down: “Electricity production will slow down by 5% at the end of the year, thermal generation - by 9%, nuclear and hydropower in general may show a minus.”

Maria Tsaturyan

Ukrainians threw away the excess