On February 29, 2012 the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry supported by the Royal Norwegian Embassy to Ukraine held a representational Conference entitled "International Experience of "Cleaner Production” in Ukraine. The Conference was aimed at demonstration of international models and innovative solutions in the environmental and energy efficiency fields, as well as at attraction of the public attention to the increasing role of energy saving in both environmental protection and for productivity enhancement by means of costs lowering and resources saving.

Careful attention was paid to the topical issues of energy efficient technologies adaptation to the Ukrainian economy under the auspices of foreign and international institutions like NEFCO, TEKNA, UNDP-GEF, GIZ and LINC-USAID. Each of these institutions shared the acquired experience and own vision of the perspectives of energy efficient technologies implementation to the enterprises of Ukraine. The practice of the "Cleaner Production" methodology adoption by the Ukrainian enterprises was offered as illustrative. The positive effect of the Norwegian methodology introduction is already evident in several cities and regions of Ukraine, particularly in Kherson and Dnepropetrovsk regions.

The Kherson Chamber of Commerce and Industry was represented by its President – Ms. Viktoriya Ostroumova. She shared the experience of Kherson engineers training according to the methodology of the Program, offered her vision of the process of further "ukrainization" of "Cleaner Production" as well as presented the Kherson CCI’s action plan in this direction.

Representatives of central and local authorities being present at the Conference declared for Program dissemination in Ukraine mentioned the priority of effective mechanism of investment attracting to the "Cleaner Production" as well as the need to develop a targeted system of corporate taxation for pollution and natural resources use. A representative of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stressed the need for focused ecologization of the production processes on the legislative level, and “Cleaner Production” technologies dissemination in Ukraine on local principle, i.e. there where it becomes possible.

An important issue to be discussed within the Conference was the problem of energy-efficient technologies financing and national mechanisms for "Cleaner Production" promotion developing. There was the experience of the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO), who administrates loans with low interest aimed at energy efficient projects implementation, given as an example. The Norwegian Society of Chartered Technical and Scientific Professionals TEKNA declared as its principal aim the training of Ukrainian engineers and other enterprises employees by means of conducting educational and training courses and seminars under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Experience by such organizations as UNDP-GEF, GIZ and LINC-USAID proves the practical relevance and perceptible effect of the “Cleaner Production” targeted projects implementation.

Summarizing the results of the Conference the following recommendations were adopted:

1. To support the international practice of the clean technologies utilization in Ukraine with due account for its further "ukrainization".
2. To recommend the mechanism of execution of Article 7. of Law of Ukraine "On energy saving" by means of adopting the separate resolution to the Government upon the need for changes in the curricula of educational institutions for the provision of relevant courses on energy conservation and efficiency.
3. To consider the experience of European countries and namely that of Norway in matters of legislative support provided to clean technologies for its implementation in Ukrainian legislation.
4. To expand application of incentive and encouraging mechanisms towards the producers of energy conservation equipment.
5. To encourage the promotion of energy efficiency examples among the population and business circles of the country, with focus on costs savings and other benefits of clean technologies and energy saving equipment. To promote actively the need for restrictions of consumer sentiment of the population in matters of excessive water consumption and packaging materials use.
6. To recommend the implementation of wastes sorting mechanism and their target recycling to reuse.
7. To provide staff development / lecture potential for "green procurement" and "Cleaner Production".
8. To develop information materials and tools for "green procurement" aimed for operating specialists.
9. To support the practice of thematic round tables holding for discussion of the "Cleaner Production" international experience.
10. To support the development of national projects for exemplary real production outstanding by its use of international standards and energy saving technologies.

Works in the sphere of “Cleaner Production” technologies dissemination in Ukraine will continue at the support of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.