Ukraine’s long-term climate plan could significantly cut reliance on energy imports, its energy ministry suggested last week. But a 2050 phase-out date for coal power has provoked disappointment.

According to new plans published by the ministry for energy and ecology last Tuesday (21 January), Ukraine will focus its efforts on energy efficiency in the coming decades, with the aim of slashing power demand by 50%, according to Euractiv.com.

Deputy Minister Sergei Maslichenko said the country must “reduce consumption in order to produce less. This can be done through the introduction of energy efficient measures. In the end, we have to reach 50% savings. It will also reduce energy imports by three times.”

Ukraine is heavily reliant on imports of coal, gas and nuclear fuel.

Cutting energy dependency is a political priority in Ukraine, which severed ties with Russian gas in the wake of Moscow’s annexation of Crimea. In 2018, Kyiv still imported 10 billion cubic metres of natural gas via Hungary, Slovakia and Poland.