Kyiv, 5 January 2026 – The Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine has published for public consultation the draft resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine “Specifics of the legal regime for peatland use and potential types of land-use designations.”

The document sets out general approaches and requirements for the use of peatlands, taking into account the restrictions needed to preserve their ecosystem functions and ensure Ukraine’s compliance with its European integration commitments.

The draft resolution was prepared with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) under the project “Promoting Sustainable Livestock Management and Ecosystem Conservation in Northern Ukraine.”

The main objective is to ensure that decisions on the formation of plots of peatland, changes to their designated use, and subsequent land use do not lead to the degradation of peatland or an increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

Iryna Ovcharenko, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine, noted: “Peatlands are not only natural reservoirs of water and biodiversity, but also powerful carbon stores. Introducing a special legal regime for peatlands is a systemic and strategic decision. It enables the simultaneous preservation of unique natural ecosystems, the restoration of water resources, and compliance with European requirements in the fields of climate and environmental policy. In fact, this is about establishing the legal foundation for protecting peatlands as part of Ukraine’s natural infrastructure.”

The document restricts the conversion of peatlands into land-use categories that undermine their natural functions. Instead, priority is given to uses compatible with preserving the peat layer and water table, such as conservation, forestry, and water management. At the same time, the draft resolution includes balanced exceptions for national security facilities, critical infrastructure, and other essential public needs.

The document does not change the current designated use of existing land plots and does not restrict ongoing economic activities. The new requirements will apply only to future decisions on changing the designation of peatlands.

Tetiana Tevkun, Head of the Environment Portfolio at UNDP in Ukraine, said: “For Ukraine, which has chosen the path of European integration, a systemic approach to peatlands is not a narrow environmental issue, but a matter of meeting its commitments on biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation, and community resilience. The European Climate Law and the EU Nature Restoration Regulation require both reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing their removal, including through the restoration of drained peatlands.”

The draft resolution creates a legal framework for the implementation of EU legislation in the areas of environmental protection, climate policy, and sustainable land use. It also strengthens the implementation of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

As part of the abovementioned UNDP-GEF project, the first phase of preparations for the restoration of degraded peatlands has already begun. Experts from Ecobereg LLC have carried out geodetic and hydrological surveys and inspected hydraulic structures at seven sites in Volyn, Rivne, Zhytomyr, and Chernihiv oblasts. This data will serve as the foundation for a technical design aimed at restoring the hydrological regime of these peatlands.

The electronic version of the draft resolution and the explanatory note can be accessed on the website of the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine.

Comments and suggestions on the draft resolution may be submitted to the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine within one month of the date of publication of the document at the following address: 12/2 M. Hrushevskoho St., Kyiv, 01008, or by email to: a.ilienko@me.gov.ua.

Media inquiries:

Yuliia Samus, Head of Communications and Advocacy, UNDP in Ukraine

Email: yuliia.samus@undp.org