The topics included consolidation of the business sector in Ukraine and the EU, as well as international investment banks and funds.
On 24 and 25 October, the International Sustainability Forum 2024 was held in Kyiv and The Hague for the fourth time, the press service of the Association of Sustainable Development Experts reported.
The event brought together more than 700 participants, including leading sustainability experts, representatives of the executive and legislative authorities of Ukraine, the business sector of Ukraine and the EU, NGOs and associations.
The following government agencies participated in the Forum:
- Ministry of Economy of Ukraine;
- National Bank of Ukraine;
- State Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving of Ukraine;
- Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine;
- NABU Association;
- financial institutions and international organisations – IFC, EBRD, GIZ, UNIDO, JICA, UNDP in Ukraine;
- International Renaissance Foundation;
- Ukrainian and international companies from various sectors of the economy, NGOs and associations, financial sector and banks.
On 24 October, the first day of the event focused on the requirements for Ukraine in the process of European integration, the needs for economic growth, the role and influence of donors during the war and post-war recovery, raising funds and partnerships, and ESG disclosure as a way to bring about social and economic change.
Part of this document is to address security issues.
On 25 October, the forum in The Hague was opened by the Ambassador of Ukraine to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Olexander Karasevych.
The second day of the forum was devoted to discussing cooperation to strengthen the resilience and post-war recovery of the region, infrastructure development, and the integration of circular economy and resource efficiency principles into Ukraine’s recovery strategy.
Photo: Press service of the Association of Sustainable Development Experts
‘This year’s forum focused more on the financial market. This is due to the fact that we are considering European integration and attracting international investment. And when we talk about investments in the country’s economy, we need to understand the geopolitical context and the rules for raising funds in Ukraine,’ explained Alina Sokolenko, head of the Association of Sustainable Development Experts (ASDE), an expert on sustainable finance.
Oleksiy Sobolev, First Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine, stressed the importance of implementing the adopted National Energy and Climate Plan and ensuring a ‘green transition’ of Ukraine’s economy by 2030.
According to him, the plan envisages more than 100 different policies, the implementation of which is coordinated by the Ministry of Economy. It will require about €114 billion to implement.
‘Consolidation of joint efforts, involvement of interested partners and international investors are key on this path,’ Sobolev said.
Kateryna Rozhkova, First Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine, added that in addition to the environmental component of the ESG structure, the social aspect, which is often overlooked, is of great importance.
It is about responsible behaviour at the national level, such as paying taxes or complying with laws. She also called responsible consumption by both companies and citizens important.
Source: Kyiv Post
