Investing in Environmental Protection in the EU Countries and Ukraine

Abstract

The article analyzes the current state of investments in environmental protection in the EU and Ukraine. The growing importance of ecological problems in the world along with the need to take effective environmental-protecting actions have been determined. It has been found that the growth of the absolute value of investments in environmental protection is not accompanied by structural growth in the total amount of GDP and is characterized by unstable dynamics. The structure of expenditures and investments regarding environmental protection is analyzed according to the institutional component. A significant increase in the expenditures of the corporate sector for environmental protection and intensification of the development and implementation of innovative technologies in the environmental sphere have been identified. It is noted that in the EU countries the corporate sector has the largest share in the total amount of expenditures on environmental protection. An analysis of investments of the corporate sector in environmental protection by types of economic activity is carried out. The structure of expenditures on environmental protection in the EU and Ukraine is considered. It is revealed that their largest share is focused on waste and wastewater management. The status and structure of capital investments by types of environmental measures in Ukraine are characterized. In order to optimize the structure of investment sources and directions of their use, it is proposed to increase the share of expenditures in the development and implementation of innovative technologies in the ecological sphere.

Keywords

• expenditures on environmental protection
• investments
• capital investments
• ecologically oriented investment activities.