A joint field meeting of the European Integration and Environmental Committees on the construction of wind power generation in the Carpathians was held in Uzhhorod

With the support of the EU Advisory Mission in Ukraine (EUAM), a joint field meeting of the Verkhovna Rada committees on Ukraine's integration into the EU and on environmental policy and nature management was held in Uzhhorod, dedicated to the situation surrounding the construction of wind farms in the mountainous regions of Zakarpattia, compliance with environmental legislation and Ukraine's international legal obligations in the field of European integration. The meeting was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, representatives of ministries, local authorities, the Verkhovna Rada committees on law enforcement and on energy and housing and communal services, representatives of the EUAM, MEPs, as well as representatives of investors and civil society organisations.

On the eve of the meeting, participants visited two locations: at one, the foundations for wind turbines had been laid, while at the other, the turbines had already been erected. The foundations on the Ruta mountain pasture were built without an environmental impact assessment (EIA), which is required by law for the construction of wind farms. When asked by MPs how such construction was possible, the head of the State Inspection of Architecture and Urban Planning of Ukraine, Oleksandr Novytskyi, replied that Ukrainian legislation currently does not define the concept of a «construction object». The State Architectural and Urban Planning Inspectorate considers a construction project to be «the scope of work and architectural decisions,» so the foundation is not considered such a project and does not require an EIA. The State Environmental Inspectorate takes the same position.

Oleh Bondarenko, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management, responded by saying that by separating the issuance of permits for foundations and certain types of construction, DIAM «opens Pandora's box in terms of violations of environmental legislation.»

According to Vladislav Yeremenko, CEO of Wind Parks of Ukraine LLC, the construction of wind turbines in Zakarpattia does not violate current legislation and will give impetus to the region's economic development. The investor claims that a private contractor has conducted the necessary research at the construction sites, the results of which give reason to believe that the construction will cause minimal damage to the environment.

Kateryna Polyanska, a representative of the NGO Ecology - Law - Man (EPL) and a first-class ecologist, has a different opinion. Speaking about the feasibility of building wind farms in the mountains, she pointed out that the Carpathians occupy only 4% of Ukraine's territory, and the highlands, accordingly, 3-10% of the Ukrainian Carpathians. Wind turbines are built precisely in the highlands. «These are relict post-glacial ecological systems that have been formed over thousands of years. They are unique. Such systems exist only in Scandinavia,» explained Kateryna Polyanska. Environmentalists emphasise that the construction of wind farms destroys the grass cover of the mountain pastures, the soil, the geological structure and the relief of the highlands. Oksana Stankevych-Volosyanychuk, an environmental expert at the Ecosphere NGO, recalled that the goal of the European Union's climate transition, which Ukraine is seeking to join, is to achieve climate neutrality. «Only ecosystems are capable of absorbing carbon dioxide on the planet,» she stressed. The ecologist also cited the example of Spain, where the construction of wind farms in the mountains led to the spread of invasive species.

«German experience shows that if it is possible to build a wind turbine somewhere in an ordinary field, then there is no need to cut down too many trees. In addition, it is necessary to maintain an ecological balance, i.e. to compare the impact on the environment and the benefits of such projects. Moreover, a detailed environmental impact assessment must be carried out in each specific case,» said Michael Haller, Member of the European Parliament and EP rapporteur on Ukraine.

«Perhaps you are being offered a project that looks good on paper but cannot be implemented due to rare habitats, birds that nest there, or other nature conservation needs. And I think it's also important to do this from the start and not hide things, keep secrets, or exclude environmental experts, analysts, and scientists. That's why I always recommend talking to environmentalists and experts and then trying to find a compromise. Do not exclude them, do not pressure them, and do not threaten them,» emphasised Viola von Cramon-Taubadel, former Member of the European Parliament and Chair of the Forum for Sustainable Democracy.

Hanelora Valier, head of the Lviv regional office of the EUAM in Ukraine, noted that every citizen wants to live in a country where the rule of law prevails. «Issues related to the environment should not contradict the law. It is necessary to strengthen cooperation between law enforcement agencies, other relevant state authorities and communities,» she said.

In conclusion, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, Chair of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU, emphasised that the development of renewable energy capacities is extremely important, especially in the context of war. At the same time, environmental protection and sustainable community development cannot be neglected. Following the results of the field meeting, the MPs adopted the draft decision as a basis. «Based on the information gathered here in Zakarpattia, as well as information from the relevant authorities, we will come up with a common vision for the draft decision, which we will vote on as a whole,» said the chair of the Committee.