From research to regulatory changes: Ukraine and Sweden present the results of their joint collaboration

The event was organized with the support of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the Swedish Energy Agency. It brought together representatives of government, research institutions and international partners to discuss Ukraine’s green transition, climate policy and European integration.

Oleksandr Krasnolutskyi, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, opened the discussion. He addressed not only the challenges Ukraine faces today, but also the long-term consequences of delay for the country’s future and future generations.

“Ukraine is already meeting requirements that most EU accession candidates have been fulfilling for years in peacetime. The National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), taxonomy, monitoring – all of this forms the architecture that will determine what kind of economy we pass on to the next generation,” noted Krasnolutskyi.

Niclas Carlsson, Director for International Market Development and Investment at the Swedish Energy Agency, highlighted the agency’s role in supporting Ukraine’s energy sector, through research, innovation, market cooperation and policy development.

“The Swedish Energy Agency remains committed to supporting Ukraine’s energy sector in a number of ways, including research and innovation, market introduction and policy support. Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture remains a central stakeholder in developing the country’s National Energy and Climate Plan, which also presents opportunities for cooperation on alignment with the EU’s energy framework,” he said.

Building on this analytical framework, Ganna Gladkykh, SEI Policy Fellow and country lead for SEI’s Green Agenda for Ukraine project, emphasized the strategic importance of the green transition for Ukraine’s recovery and long-term development.

“Ukraine’s goals regarding recovery, EU accession and the building of an innovative and sustainable economy cannot be achieved without a green transition. Delaying investment in green technologies, particularly in the energy sector and industry, means a loss of opportunities for Ukraine’s development and exports. The Green Agenda project is designed to provide analytical, instrumental and policy support to advance Ukraine’s climate policy and implement specific projects that will contribute to a greener and more prosperous future for Ukraine,” she said.

The event also demonstrated how analytical work by SEI researchers is being translated by the GTO into practical regulatory decisions. Andriy Kitura, GTO’s Head, outlined current progress: the NECP was approved in June 2024 and transferred to an online monitoring platform, where central executive authorities update data on the implementation of measures in real time; the draft law on the taxonomy of sustainable economic activities is undergoing final approval; and the Green Platform, which includes more than 120 funding programs for businesses and municipalities, is already operational.

“We are not waiting for the war to end to build the regulatory framework. Every document we are currently agreeing on reduces the time between victory and a genuine green recovery. Taxonomy, NECP monitoring, green financing instruments – all of this forms the foundation that must be ready by the time large-scale recovery begins,” said Kitura.

The Swedish Energy Agency also supports Swedish “cleantech” companies entering the Ukrainian market, cooperation in the field of energy security, and research into the resilience of energy systems. Paul Westin, senior business developer and Ukraine lead at the Swedish Energy Agency, noted that this work is part of Sweden’s broader mandate to support Ukraine during the war and on its path to European integration.

The event once again demonstrated what has been happening beyond the spotlight for some time: Ukraine is not waiting to build a green economy, even as Russia’s war on Ukraine continues. The country is building one now.