NGOs call on the European Commission to ensure transparency and public participation in Ukraine’s green reconstruction, 10 June 2022

The Russian invasion of Ukraine impacts livelihoods and economies throughout the central and eastern European region and beyond, creating threats to food security, increased poverty and inflation. In the future, Ukraine will face the double challenge – rebuilding fast but also ‘build back better’ with significant cost ranging from $500 billion to $1,000 billion.

In the open letter, the civil society groups welcomed the Commission’s proposal for the high-level strategic Reconstruction Plan for Rebuilding Ukraine, which aims to ensure the elaboration and implementation of structural reforms, good economic policy and sustainable development goals in line with the Green Deal, which could ensure the country’s long-term and sustainable development. However, the undersigned NGO representatives call on the Commission to consider suggestions of what should be reflected in the establishment of the Ukraine Reconstruction Platform and its associated fund...

Protecting people and the environment 

The Ukrainian government has simplified the legislation on the Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment, particularly for the period of the war and the subsequent reconstruction without proper procedures or discussions. Although this is understandable in the time of war, it will be important to have safeguarding procedures in place by the time major reconstruction projects are implemented...

The ‘RebuildUkraine’ Facility would potentially build on the EU’s experience under the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) with an understanding of the unprecedented challenges of reconstructing Ukraine and accompanying it on its European path. Thus, similarly to the RRF Regulation, the RebuildUkraine Facility must have clear milestones and targets to support Ukraine’`s green transition – as, for example, climate expenditure target (37%) and respect the do no significant harm principle within the RRF.

The European Commission plays an important role in currently supporting Ukraine and in the future plans. In order to avoid any significant obstacles in Ukraine’s green reconstruction process, the Commission needs to ensure proper adherence to the European Green Deal and Paris Agreement, transparency and public participation in decision-making, donor coordination and transparency.