The Public Council of the Ministry of Environment will recommend to the Ministry to take actions to resolve the escalation of the conflict in the Karpatsky National Park, which arose due to the appointment of Stepan Goshovsky to the post of director.
The meeting also discussed the issue of damage calculations from Russian military actions, reforming the forestry management system, changes to the Law "On Environmental Impact Assessment" and the problems of nature conservation areas in wartime conditions, reports A living planet.
The staff of the national park categorically did not support the newly appointed director and urged to contribute to ensuring transparent and democratic elections of the director and to defend the appointment of Volodymyr Slobodyan to the position of the acting director of the park since October 10, 2017.
The message emphasized that there is information in the mass media that representatives of the "Privat" group are behind constant attempts to change the management of the park. They planned to alienate about 200 hectares of park land for the needs of the Bukovel resort.
On August 22, the Ministry of Environment and Rural Affairs received the approval of the Ivano-Frankivsk OVA regarding the appointment of Stepan Goshovskyi, a former employee of the State Economic Inspection, as the director of the Carpathian NPP. However, the opposition of the team led to blocking the work of the park administration.
"Participants of the meeting emphasized that non-transparent decision-making on the appointment of directors of the NPP is unacceptable, as is the appointment without consultation with the staff, local communities and public organizations of environmental protection," the message says.
The Public Council approved the decision to recommend the Ministry of Environment:
- During the period of martial law, develop a mechanism:
- approval of the dismissal/appointment of the park director with the trade union organization or collective;
- taking into account the opinion of local communities and public organizations of nature protection orientation.
- The Public Council Committee on Environmental Assessment and Environmental Impact Assessment should be involved in this.
- To hold consultations with the trade union committee of the Carpathian NPP and to make a decision on the actions that must be taken to remove the aggravation of the conflict caused by the appointment of Goshovskyi as the director of the park.
- Together with the public council, people's deputies of Ukraine, territorial communities, organize an away meeting on the basis of the Carpathian NPP.
Nature conservation areas in war conditions
In order to determine the losses and damage caused to the nature reserve fund, the Ministry of Environment together with the State Environmental Inspection developed the appropriate methodology, which is currently accepted. The possibilities of the state budget are significantly limited, but the work on fire prevention and their prompt extinguishing has been intensified, preparations are underway for winter, and energy saving measures are being implemented.
In partnership with the International Organization for Migration, a $900,000 project is being developed "Protection and assistance in preparing for the winter period of the most vulnerable and conflict-affected population of Ukraine", one of the measures of which provides for the rehabilitation of collective centers for forcibly displaced persons.
As a result of the cooperation of the Ministry of Environment Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine with the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania, the newly created NPP "Pushcha Radzivila" became the patronage. Soon, Lithuanian colleagues will hand over 33 cars, 2 boats and fire-fighting equipment.
The project "Support of nature-protected areas in Ukraine" continues, in which the German Government provided a grant of up to €14 million for the preservation of unique natural resources.
The Public Council approved the decision to recommend the Ministry of Environment:
- Create a list of the necessary support for functioning in the winter period and support of scientific, educational and environmental protection functions for each object.
- Conduct a large-scale information campaign with a call to citizens, organizations, foundations and donors to provide financial and other support necessary for the preservation of the nature reserve fund.
- Involve European MTP projects and provide expertise in the preparation of project applications under the LIFE program.
- To recommend MTP projects and the Ministry to implement a green procurement policy for the needs of enterprises, institutions, and organizations belonging to the sphere of the Ministry's management, in particular, environmental protection and recreational institutions. Free support for the implementation of such procurement can be provided by the UNEP project in partnership with the NGO "Living Planet" on the implementation of sustainable public procurement, which is carried out within the framework of the EU4Environment program.
- Conduct a review of current and planned projects aimed at supporting the objects of the nature reserve fund and preserving biodiversity in order to ensure urgent needs and the development of natural objects and territories under martial law. In particular, Euchenvironment under the direction of activity "Ecosystem services and habitats", implemented by the World Bank.
- Optimize the implementation of environmental protection conventions ratified by Ukraine.
- To intensify the formation of the national eco-network of Ukraine in the structure of the Pan-European eco-network, to agree on management plans for the territories of the Emerald Network.
- To contribute to the publication of the Red Book of Ukraine, to unify the methods of conservation of regionally rare species of flora, fauna, mycobiota and phytogroups.
- Create the State Agency for Nature Protection (eco-network, biodiversity).
Identification and calculations of losses related to the consequences of military actions of the Russian Federation
The Ministry of Environment, the State Environmental Inspection and other central bodies of executive power continue to document the damage to nature caused by Russian aggression. From February 24, experts of the Operational Headquarters of the State Environmental Inspection conducted 232 visits to the sites of crimes against the environment and took 198 soil samples throughout the territory of Ukraine.
On September 2, a new Methodology for determining damages caused by water pollution entered into force.
In the material, it was noted that there remain a number of unresolved issues related to methodological support, in particular, the recording of damage to environmental objects in the territories where hostilities are taking place.
The Public Council approved the decision to recommend the Ministry of Environment and the State Environmental Inspection:
- To hold consultations with the working group of the Operational Headquarters regarding the improvement of existing and the development of new methods for determining the amount of damage and losses to environmental objects caused as a result of the Russian military aggression against Ukraine.
- To take measures necessary to speed up the adoption of changes to the methods under consideration in the Ministry.
- Consolidate efforts together with expert organizations and the public council to define a "roadmap" for strengthening the function of state environmental protection control in wartime conditions and continuing reform in this area.
- Together with the ecocommittee, international and national organizations to involve MTD for the implementation of the "road map".
About the reform of the forestry management system
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution, which provides for the reform of the forest industry. 158 state forestry enterprises will be united into a single state specialized enterprise "Forests of Ukraine".
The head of the Ministry of Environment, Ruslan Strilets, said that this will allow forests to be managed according to EU standards and practices, increase the profitability of the industry, financially strengthen the state, and protect valuable forest territories.
The Public Council approved the decision to recommend to the Ministry of Environment and the State Forestry Agency:
- Develop a "road map" of changes to the legislation in order to ensure the implementation of the reform, taking into account all factors affecting the further development of the forestry and woodworking industry.
- Involve the Forest Policy and Sustainable Forest Management Committee of the Ministry of Environment and the State Forestry Agency in the development of the "road map".
On changes to the Law of Ukraine "On Environmental Impact Assessment"
The Public Council considered the generalized comments and observations on the draft Law provided by members and experts of the Council and approved decision accept the submitted proposals as a basis, recommend that they be submitted to the Ministry for consideration and instruct the Public Council Committee on Environmental Assessment and Environmental Impact Assessment to hold working consultations with the Ministry of Environment to discuss the recommendations provided.
The meeting also approved the decision to renew the composition of the council. Eduard Horevoy, who is headed by the NGO Environmental Council of Kryvorizhye, was replaced by Ihor Lytsur (GO "Digital Agency E-ecology"), who joined the civil service.
Earlier, EcoPolitic wrote, that in the Ivano-Frankivsk region, employees of the Karpatskyi National Nature Park resented the dismissal head Volodymyr Solobodian and the appointment of a new head Stepan Goshovskyi.
As EcoPolitic previously reported, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the resolution, which provides reforming the forest industry, in particular, the unification of 158 state forest farms into a single enterprise "Forests of Ukraine".
