![Anatolii Dushko, head of Baranivka amalgamated hromada Anatolii Dushko, head of Baranivka amalgamated hromada](/sites/default/files/styles/var_desktop/public/2019-12/climate-ambitions-press-1-eng.jpg.jpg?itok=hlqXr57N)
![The participants of the press-conference held within the forum Cities’ Climate Ambitions The participants of the press-conference held within the forum Cities’ Climate Ambitions](/sites/default/files/styles/var_desktop/public/2019-12/climate-ambitions-press-main-eng.jpg.jpg?itok=khClgkFf)
Baranivka amalgamated hromada and Trostianets city council have expressed an intention of switching to 100% RES by 2050 and signed a memorandum of intent with the international organization 350.org, which is a member of the Energy Transition coalition. To achieve this goal, the communities are planning to develop the energy efficiency of municipal and private facilities, reduce transportation emissions, and engage investments to implement renewable energy projects.
“In Baranivka amalgamated hromada, a solar power station of 10 mWatt capacity is being assembled. It is not in operation yet, but we already see how the hromada benefits from it: for land lease alone, the investor will pay UAH 1.6 million every year. 10–12 people will be working at the station full time, and the taxes from their salary (about UAH 200,000) will be paid to the local budget. The work of the solar power station will improve the hromada’s energy security and make it more attractive for investors. This is one of our first steps towards 100% RES,” says Anatolii Dushko, head of Baranivka amalgamated hromada.
Earlier, Zhytomyr became the first city in Eastern Europe to express its intention to transition to 100% RES and sign a memorandum with 350.org.
“We have just finished developing the scenario of Zhytomyr’s transition to 100% RES by 2050, which we have supported with funding and expertise. It was created by the scientists of the NASU Forecasting Institute together with Zhytomyr city council. Ukrainian cities are becoming leaders in the climate sector, and the number grows every year,” says Svitlana Romanko, Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA) Regional Coordinator of 350.org.
Today, Zhytomyr has an action plan for sustainable energy development by 2020, with defined priorities and specific measures, which are being successfully implemented. The city is switching completely to LED-based lighting, the construction of the first municipal solar power station has started, as has the construction of the first municipal building in Ukraine with zero emissions, where the new administrative services center will be located.
The communities of Lviv, Kamianets-Podilskyi and Chortkiv, who also signed memorandums with 350.org in 2018 and set the goal to switch to 100% RES by 2050, are also working on their energy transition.
The Energy Transition Coalition is an association of non-governmental organizations created to facilitate Ukraine’s transition to economical energy consumption and the use of renewable energy sources. It includes 350.org, EcoClub, EcoAction, Khmelnytskyi Energy Cluster, Ecoltava and Ukrainian Agency for Investments and Sustainable Development.
Photos by Olena Angelova