Eco-friendly changes in action: Ukraine gets green license plates
Provision of green license plates and privileges for electric cars shows how the Green Agenda for Ukraine is being put into effect.
Despite the pandemic and quarantine restrictions, more electric cars are appearing on the Ukrainian roads. According to UkrAutoprom, the market for electric cars has grown by one third in comparison to 2019. And since by law they may have special markings, such cars will now be easy to spot on the nation’s roads.
The respective law №10405, which stipulates that “special license plates with green lettering” are to be issued for electric vehicles, was adopted in summer 2019. It came into force at the beginning of 2020, but now, at the end of the year, are the green license plates starting to be issued.
Oleksiy Ryabchyn, the initiator of the bill and now advisor of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and advisor of the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine, jokes that this is a good lesson for those who want quick changes:
“They should hear the story of our consulting, lobbying for the bill, and searching for compromise. It was vital for us to get support from all of the faction leaders. And even when eventually we achieved what we wanted — with the bill becoming law — it took a lot of time and effort before all authoritative bodies started implementing it.”
Getting green license plates for electric cars was not the only goal of the bill. The goal was to make it easy for police or parking services to distinguish them from cars with internal combustion engines, which have been known to park too close to charging stations for electric cars, blocking access to them. Under the new law, such illegal parking earns drivers a fine of UAH 340 to UAH 510.
The law also provides for special road signs: “For electric cars,” “Apart from electric cars” and “Electric car charging station.” The signs will allow for the regulation of traffic and the creation of special zones that will be accessible only to electric cars. However, electric car owners are not required by law to get a green license plate.
“It’s not about forcing, but about encouraging,” stresses Ryabchyn. “We give these drivers some privileges and, at the same time, motivate others to choose to drive electric cars. Perhaps, legislators will make parking free for them, or cities will have special ecological zones in response to the overall trend towards environmentalism. We’re making it clear that it’s not difficult, but rather beneficial to be environmentally friendly and oriented to the future.”
Green Agenda in action
Ryabchyn recalls making trips around Ukraine with colleagues from the Green Energy of Changes Inter-factional MP Association, during which they researched the needs and demands of Ukrainians:
“You can think you’re a superb reformer, when you talk about green changes in Kyiv. But in the regions they have a slightly different agenda. Dnipro is mostly concerned about the river contamination. Mariupol — about air quality. In one city the development of electric cars market is a priority, while in another one the top priority is access to energy.”
Eventually, after all of these “green expeditions” and discussions, the MPs determined what issues were of the most concern in all regions, as well as for all political groups. They unified these problems in ten key areas of change. The initiative was dubbed the “Green Agenda for Ukraine until 2030.”
Each area corresponds to the UN Sustainable Development Goals: transition to a green economy, the development of renewable energy, efficient waste management, environmental protection, combating climate change, maximum energy efficiency and energy saving, green cities, sustainable development of rural communities, clean and safe transport, quality of living, and life expectancy.
The implementation of the roadmap on eco-changes for parliamentarians is supported under a joint project by UNDP and the government of Sweden. Providing green license plates and privileges for electric cars on the legislative level is an example of how the Green Agenda is being translated into real action.
What depends on us all
A lot depends on legislators, but even more depends on ordinary Ukrainians. When it comes to the Green Agenda, Ryabchyn recommends that all Ukrainians who want to see changes in the environmental sphere read carefully through the programmes of the parties and choose those that stand for the Green Agenda, as well as for the SDGs.
In addition, he advises that people reconsider their habits: don’t over-consume, and give up using plastic utensils and taking plastic bags at supermarkets. This is the so-called “responsible consumption”, and is also a part of the Green Agenda.
Another example is choosing energy efficient equipment. Even though its price might be a few percent higher, in the long run it is more economical and less harmful to the environment. Ryabchyn is sure that these “green behavioural standards” should be followed by politicians themselves, thus setting an example to other Ukrainians.
“10 years ago I wrote in my dissertation that environmental factors will have the same weight as any others when making decisions in the energy and economic sectors, and that the environment will become prominent, and may even become the key factor. This is coming true,” he says.
Ryabchyn himself uses reusable eco-bags, buys drinking water in glass bottles, and sorts his garbage.
“It’s my job at home, and I’ve taught the children to do the same. I repair things instead of buying new ones. I argue with waiters if they bring plastic straws that I’ve not asked for. In the places I go to often, they know this already and don’t bring them anymore. This is how you influence others by your own example,” he says.
Ryabchyn laughs that if he forgets to switch off a light somewhere, his kids come and scold him saying: “Dad, how could you to forget?” He reacts to such scoldings with a smile: “It’s even pleasing for your own methods to be used against you. This is the way for all of us to become more eco-friendly. In fact, a lot depends on our small efforts.”
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This story is a part of a communication campaign about environmental changemakers, which became possible thanks to the UNDP project “Support to the Parliament of Ukraine on sustainable energy and environment” with the financial support of Sweden and UNDP project “Plastic Waste Management at the local level” with the financial support of the joint New World Programme of the Coca-Cola Foundation and Global Water Challenge.
Author: Yuliya Hudoshnyk. Edited by: Euan Macdonald, Yulia Samus, UNDP
