In 2021, Ukraine almost twice exceeded its plan to reduce harmful emissions in the energy sector.
This was announced on Monday, March 21, the press service of the Ministry of Energy.
"Ukraine adheres to its international obligations to the Energy Community, as set out in the National Emissions Reduction Plan for Large Combustion Plants (NERP)", the statement said.
In 2021, the amount of dust emissions from thermal power plants, combined heat and power plants and large boilers, the operators of which have obligations under the NERP, amounted to 78 thousand tons against the target of 146 thousand tons. Therefore, harmful emissions from heat generation decreased by almost a quarter (24.9%) compared to 2018.
At the same time, the reduction in sulfur dioxide emissions last year was 19.6% compared to 2018. In particular, the amount of emissions for 2021 was 383 thousand tons against the target of 727 thousand tons.
Nitrous oxide emissions in 2021 decreased by 21.4% compared to 2018 and amounted to 76 thousand tons compared to the planned 164 thousand tons.
As explained in the Ministry of Energy, such results are mainly due to the reduction of electricity production by thermal generation capacity, which has partially replaced nuclear and renewable energy.
The ministry added that further progress in the implementation of the NERP is closely linked to the implementation of programs for environmental modernization of combustion plants and the construction of new generating capacity to replace obsolete production assets.
Earlier, EcoPolitics reported that in 2021, energy-related carbon emissions rose to their highest level - by 6% to a record 36.3 billion tons. The increase in global CO2 emissions of more than 2 billion tons was the largest in history in absolute terms.
