Ukraine has a long list of the reform priorities in the area of sustainable energy and the environment (SEE). However, their introduction is being slowed down by difficulties in adopting legislation and the low quality of some legal initiatives. To speed up reforms related to sustainable energy and the environment, and to ensure SEE issues are included in government programmes, UNDP Ukraine, with financial support from Sweden, is seeking to improve the capacity of Ukraine’s parliament and to enhance environmental advocacy among politicians, the mass media and the public by carrying out this project.

The project, entitled “Sustainable Energy and Environment Secretariat to Support the Parliament of Ukraine in the Sustainable Energy and Environment Area (‘Green Caucus’ Secretariat)” aims to support the Members of Parliament (MPs) and the relevant parliamentary committees (specifically, VRU Committee on Environmental Policy and Environmental Management and VRU Committee on Energy, Housing and Utilities Services) and inter-faction union (IFU) of MPs “Energy and Environment” with high-quality analytical, communications and advocacy support.

Over the three-year project implementation period, the work of Ukraine’s parliament (VRU) on sustainable energy and environment issues is expected to be strengthened through the establishment and functioning of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Secretariat – a think-tank focusing on the provision of analytical support covering a wide range of issues in the SEE area, including climate change mitigation and adaption; energy efficiency; waste management; natural resources management; environmental pollution; mitigation of the negative environmental consequences of the ongoing armed conflict in the east of Ukraine, as well as to greening the development path of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. The overall work of the Secretariat is based on the sustainable development principles and linked with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

To ensure the implementation of the Project and enhance strategic advisory support to the Parliament on SEE policy UNDP is seeking to hire a Senior International Environmental Policy Expert to provide strategic advisory support to the Parliament, Members of Parliament, Environmental Committee members, IFU “Energy and Environment” and VRU staff on the issues of strategic environmental policy and sustainable development in the context of Ukraine’s international commitments.