Within the framework of the Global Eco-Industrial Park Programme (GEIPP) implemented by UNIDO in the selected countries with the developing economy and financially supported by SECO the GEIPP Ukraine project was launched in Ukraine in spring 2020. This interview with EIP-Ukraine National Project Coordinator Anton Kleshchov will introduce the readers to the project’s goals, activities, expected outcomes, and benefits for Ukraine.
What is an Eco-Industrial Park (EIP)? Are there any EIPs in Ukraine?
Eco-Industrial Park is a community of manufacturing and service businesses located on common property. Member businesses seek environmental, economic, and social performance through collaboration and building industrial symbiosis. In the case of symbiosis different industrial enterprises exchange flows of energy and materials, defined as wastes by one member-company and serving as a valuable material for another. Their service exchange ensures comfortable infrastructure developed on RECP principles. EIP proves to be a very efficient model to develop a green industrial network in the future. In Ukraine, there is a network of industrial parks. We have chosen three piloting ones and we assist their transformation into eco-industrial. Eco-Industrial Parks prove to be a very efficient model of resource-efficient and clean production industrial network influencing regional and economic development.
What are the main obstacles to the establishment of EIPs in Ukraine?
The first and foremost barrier is the lack of national regulatory policy for the development of Eco-Industrial Parks in Ukraine. However, there are good preconditions now to include EIP into the legislation, governmental strategies, and development plans. In 2016 Ukraine signed the Association Agreement with the EU, undertaking obligations to reform multiple sectors, including economy, energy, environment, industrial and social policies. The abovementioned sectors correlate with the EIP and prompt development of the legislation. Meanwhile, enterprises lack technical knowledge of how to retrofit IPs into EIPs. All stakeholders do not have even basic knowledge of EIP and its benefits.
What will be the project’s contribution to EIP development within the planned project activities?
The EIPP Ukraine project incorporates two components: political and technical. Within the framework of the political component, the project has close cooperation with the government to develop the national policy for EIPs. In particular, the project will analyze current legislation and legal norms, develop and submit amendments, arrange awareness-raising events for policymakers and will ensure knowledge-share and provide success stories to help create a comprehensive regulatory framework. Recognition of EIPs in the legislation can help create requirements for EIP development.
The technical component incorporates training of national experts to further identify opportunities for industrial symbioses and resource efficiency within IPs. It will result in reduced consumption of energy, material, saved transportation expenditures, reused wastes, and improve overall efficiency. Savings can also be achieved by enhancing the competencies of IP managing companies. The project will carry out training for managing companies to develop the relevant skills and competencies for further development of EIPs in Ukraine.
What are 2021 goals and planned activities?
This year we started working towards the regulatory legal framework analyses for IPs. In 2021 we intend to focus on drafting amendments to the IP-related regulations. We hope to develop legislation to promote EIPs in Ukraine and enhance economic, environmental, and social development. Next year we will start cooperation with three piloting IPs. There we plan to technically asses IP companies and develop solutions to improve resource efficiency and build up industrial symbiosis. As I already mentioned, we will also arrange training for managing companies. Once the companies implement the developed technical solutions, the project will start monitoring the indicators of saved resources, reduced wastes, eliminated CO2, etc.
What are the project’s timeframe and the expected outcomes within this timespan?
The project will last through 2023. We aim to improve the IP companies’ performance to meet the EIP requirements and back it up with the respective legislation. In addition, the project intends to show practical benefits to resolve specific economic, environmental, and social issues both at state and company levels. Hence, we expect to reduce annual CO 2 emissions, consumption of fossil fuels, electricity, chemicals, and water.
How can Ukraine benefit from the EIP network?
EIPs have been initially established to ensure sustainable development and mitigate environmental impacts. However, in a number of developing countries, EIPs enhanced economic growth via resource and energy efficiency, employment generation, infrastructure improvement, increased competitiveness, and investment attractiveness. We hope to achieve the same in Ukraine.
