IKI supports Ukranian pavilion at COP27

The pavilion was organised by the regional IKI project, ‘Developing capacities for climate policy in Southeast and Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia, Phase III (CDCPIII)’ from GIZ, which receives financial support from a measure co-financed by the EU. 

The conceptual design, preparation and construction of the pavilion was achieved jointly by the efforts of Ukraine’s Ministry for Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, the European Union, the German Government, the UNDP, the UN Global Compact, DTEK, Epam and UNITED24.

The pavilion brought the war and its effects on the environment and the climate into sharp focus for conference delegates, while also being a sign that Ukraine intends to continue upholding its international commitments despite the war on its territory. 

The pavilion design reflected these twin aims, with one block concentrating on the impact of the war on the climate and the other showcasing a vision of Ukraine as a country striving to meet the UN climate targets. 

An installation featuring a grenade impact crater was placed at the centre of the pavilion – Ukraine’s fertile soil is now littered with such craters. The crater was filled with more than 500 cubes with 16 different Ukrainian soil types, to remind delegates of Ukraine’s enormous potential and significance for the stability of global food supplies.

Establishing a Ukrainian Climate Office

At the same time, the pavilion was also used to mark the launch of the IKI project´s EU co-financed ‘Capacities for Climate Action’ measure with a side event attended by key COP27 delegates. The aim is to establish a Ukrainian Climate Office (a climate innovation centre) that will receive EUR 3.5 million in finance from the European Union and German co-financing from IKI funds. Financing the pavilion was the first major milestone here. 

The Ukrainian Minister for the Environment, Ruslan Strilets, was joined by representatives of the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, the European Union, the organisation Energy Community and GIZ to discuss Ukraine’s ongoing commitments, its global climate targets in the context of implementing the Green Recovery Plan and the support provided by these institutions.