By Aliya Wedelich, Olha Boiko
In April 2024, the Moldovan Parliament passed a groundbreaking climate action law, committing the country to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. This represents the most comprehensive climate legislation ever adopted in the Eastern Europe, Caucasus, and Central Asia (EECCA) region.
Moldova’s climate law is a crucial part of its strategy to align with European Union (EU) standards, particularly the Green Deal’s ambitions, and to advance its goal of EU integration. The inspiration for Moldovan legislators in crafting this law is closely tied to the EU’s climate policies and goals. Meanwhile, Georgia and Ukraine are following suit, with similar climate laws currently under review.
Inspiration from the EU
The EU Climate Law, adopted in June 2021, sets a legally binding target for the EU to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels and to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. The law requires the European Commission to regularly assess the progress of member states and propose new or revised climate targets every five years.
Additionally, it establishes the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change to provide expert guidance on the development and implementation of EU climate policies. The law includes mechanisms for sector-specific decarbonization and supports initiatives such as promoting renewable energy, enhancing energy efficiency, and implementing carbon pricing mechanisms, alongside investing in sustainable infrastructure.
Adapting the EU Model in Moldova
Moldova’s new climate law adopts a very similar approach, emphasizing decarbonization across various sectors, including energy, transportation, and industry. The country is committed to expanding its use of renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, and investing in sustainable infrastructure.
Notably, Moldova’s target of a 70% reduction in emissions by 2030 is even more ambitious than the EU’s 55% goal. This is partly because Moldova has already achieved a 69% reduction in emissions, largely due to the significant economic contraction following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Natalia Zamfir, Doctor of Law and Associate Professor at the State University of Moldova,[1] emphasizes that this law is the first of its kind nationally, introducing clear rules regarding the powers of government bodies.
It ensures the development and implementation of programmatic documents while providing for monitoring, reporting, and public information on measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change.
Dr. Zamfir explains that the law includes innovative measures such as a financial mechanism for CO2 emissions pricing, and systems for monitoring, reporting, and verifying emissions from aviation, maritime transport, and industrial installations, along with measures to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions in the transport sector.
Framework for Long-Term Goals
As a framework legal act, Moldova’s climate law establishes the regulatory basis for achieving the long-term goals defined in the Paris Agreement, while also advancing global adaptation efforts. To ensure effective implementation, the law is backed by additional laws and regulations, including the Law on the Financial Mechanism for CO2 Emissions Pricing and several government decrees on monitoring, reporting, and verifying emissions.
A significant aspect of Moldova’s strategy is the creation of the National Commission on Climate Change. This body will coordinate and approve climate policies and projects, ensuring their integration into broader socio-economic development goals. The government is also working to strengthen administrative capacities to effectively enforce environmental and climate laws, addressing one of Moldova’s key challenges in this regard.
Climate change is a central theme in Moldova’s strategic planning, as reflected in the National Development Strategy “European Moldova 2030,” adopted in 2020, and the upcoming National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan, which will outline climate mitigation strategies in the energy sector through 2030 and 2050.
Similar Moves by Georgia and Ukraine
Meanwhile, Georgia and Ukraine have also drafted similar climate laws: currently under parliamentary review in Ukraine and still with the Committee of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, which drafted it in Georgia. Both countries are actively working to integrate EU climate directives into their national frameworks, aiming to meet the requirements for future EU membership and contribute to global climate action.
Both Georgia and Ukraine have developed National Energy and Climate Plans — in line with the EU Regulation on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action and with support from the Energy Community Secretariat. These plans emphasize the crucial role of energy transition in climate change mitigation.
Georgia has set a carbon neutrality goal for 2050, with an interim target of a 47% reduction in emissions by 2030. This goal is outlined in the country’s Long-Term Low Emission Development Concept (Strategy) and is expected to be reflected in its new climate law. According to our Tbilisi-based expert, who prefers to remain anonymous, Georgia’s climate draft law has been delayed due to the “Russian law”, or the Law on the Transparency of Foreign Influence, adopted by the Georgian Parliament earlier this year. She mentioned that this draft law was expected to pass its first hearing this autumn, before the upcoming parliamentary elections, but now those prospects are uncertain.
In 2021, Ukraine updated its first NDC, committing to a 65% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, with the aim of achieving climate neutrality by 2060. However, the ongoing Russian military aggression has created significant obstacles to reaching these climate targets. New challenges brought on by the war include an increase in emissions due to military activities, the destruction of ecosystems that serve as vital carbon sinks, and the loss of Ukrainian territories that host renewable energy installations. As a result, Ukraine has lost 90% of wind energy and 45-50% of solar generation. These factors complicate Ukraine’s path to its climate goals, adding layers of difficulty to its commitments.
Additionally, the war has led to reduced transparency in decision-making processes. For instance, Ukraine’s new Energy Strategy through 2050, adopted in April 2023, remains classified due to security concerns related to Russia’s military aggression.
At our request, Vasylyna Belo, Head of the Climate Department at Kyiv-based Ecoaction, shared her perspective on Ukraine’s climate agenda:
“Despite all the challenges posed by the war, since the end of 2023, the Ukrainian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources has made climate matters one of its main priorities. In January 2024, the Ministry presented the draft climate law, a framework law that should serve as the basis for the development of further climate-related acts.
The draft law has already been refined by the Ministry and reviewed within parliamentary committees and is expected to be fully adopted by Parliament at the end of September or the beginning of October 2024. One of the main strategic developments in the draft law is setting the goal of achieving climate neutrality in Ukraine by 2050, replacing the existing target of 2060.
After the law is adopted, further climate documents are expected to be developed, including a long-term strategy for low-carbon development until 2050, a climate change adaptation strategy, and sectoral and local program documents on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change.
This law aims to align Ukraine’s National Energy and Climate Plan with national climate targets and form the basis for the country’s next Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). The next steps in the climate policy agenda also include reinforcing the mandatory MRV (Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification) system, which was suspended after the full-scale invasion, and adopting the law for the Ukrainian ETS (Emissions Trading System).”
Lessons for the EECCA Region
The climate legislation efforts of Moldova, Georgia, and Ukraine offer valuable lessons for other countries in the EECCA region. While most countries in the region are not legally required to align with EU standards due to different political trajectories and the absence of immediate prospects for EU integration, the efforts by Moldova, Georgia, and Ukraine demonstrate that comprehensive climate action can still promote sustainable development and resilience.
Moreover, the countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia continue to develop their economic relationships with the EU, which could be complicated by the upcoming Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. Thus, the Climate Law and an overall decarbonization of the region go hand in hand with economic prosperity and strategic partnerships.
Adopting comprehensive climate laws across the EECCA region would significantly bolster global efforts to halt the rise in greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), as of 2020, 56 countries have enacted laws aimed at limiting GHG emissions, covering only 53% of global emissions. Expanding climate legislation in the EECCA region would help close this gap and strengthen the global response to climate change.
We would like to thank Natalia Kravchuk, Anna Bohushenko, and Nazik Mamasadykova for their invaluable assistance with this article.
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[1] Dr. Zamfir provided us with her comment in May 2024.
