Umweltbundesamt
Click to enlargeDr Olena Matukhno began her research work at the German Environment Agency (UBA) on 1 February 2024. Her work focuses on compliance with national climate targets in the Ukrainian iron and steel industry through decarbonisation and emissions trading measures once the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has ended.
As a visiting scientist at the German Federal Environment Agency, Dr Matukhno has developed a scientific research project in cooperation with experts from the German Emissions Trading Authority. The aim of the project is to support political decision-makers in Ukraine in the post-war period with recommendations for suitable strategies to decarbonise the iron and steel sector.
The project will analyse the range of possible technical options for a modern Ukrainian iron and steel industry with low or zero CO2 emissions as well as their respective advantages and disadvantages. In addition to focussing on future investment decisions on new construction and reconstruction of iron and steel sites, the assessment of greenhouse gas emissions for the emissions trading system, which began before the war, must be further developed in accordance with international and, in particular, European standards. Recommendations are also to be formulated for this in order to support Ukraine in its preparations for negotiations on accession to the European Union.
Dr Olena Matukhno is an associate professor (docent) at the Department of Ecology and Technologies of Environmental Protection at the Dnipro University of Technology in Ukraine. She was also appointed as an environmental auditor by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine. Dr Matukhno is an expert in accreditation of bodies for validation and verification of greenhouse gas data (ISO 14065 standard) of the National Accreditation Agency of Ukraine. She came to Germany in 2022 to escape the Russian invasion and now lives in Dresden with members of her family.
About the Georg Forster Research Fellowship
Since 1973, the Humboldt Foundation has been sponsoring highly qualified postdoctoral researchers from developing and emerging countries with funds from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) by awarding Humboldt Research Fellowships. Since 1998, the BMZ has sponsored young researchers from newly industrialising and developing countries through Georg Forster Research Fellowships for postdoctoral researchers and experienced researchers. Typically, a quarter of the applicants are successful. Since 2012, the BMZ has also funded up to six Georg Forster Research Award winners each year. To date, a total of 21 researchers from Ukraine have received the Georg Forster Research Fellowship, three have been honoured with the Georg Forster Research Award and one researcher has received a special research award.
The UBA’s motto, For our environment (“Für Mensch und Umwelt”), sums up our mission pretty well, we feel. In this video we give an insight into our work.
