We often witness crimes against nature. Illegal dumping, abnormal emissions from a local factory, logging by suspicious individuals, sewage discharge into a river, or dead fish in a body of water-writing an indignant social media post is not enough. For state authorities to officially record and process such information, you should use specialized applications or direct contact channels with institutions.
EcoPolitic has compiled all available ways to report environmental crimes in this article.
“EcoThreat”
This is a government portal and a mobile application where you can promptly submit data about environmental violations to the appropriate authorities. The service was launched in May 2022. Since then, it has occasionally added new features, but sometimes is unavailable due to technical updates.
Using “EcoThreat” is quite straightforward. You need to go to the “Report” section, add information about the environmental offense, attach a photo or video, select the category of environmental impact, describe the situation, and send the data.
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- Джерело: ecozagroza.gov.ua
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- Джерело: ecozagroza.gov.ua
After processing, the information will appear on the EcoThreat website. A responsible specialist will classify the incident and forward the data to executive authorities. If the situation occurred due to enemy actions, your information may be used in the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
An important nuance: the web resource does not accept anonymous messages, so you must go through identity verification before reporting an environmental threat. However, registration allows you to receive updates regarding your report’s review status in your personal account.
SaveEcoBot
This is a bot network in popular messengers from the SaveDnipro organization. The chatbot operates in Telegram, Rakuten Viber, and Facebook Messenger.
In the first two messengers, you can use ready-made templates to prepare complaints about air, water, soil quality, pollution, or noise. To do this, find SaveEcoBot and follow this virtual path: “Report pollution” – “Submit a complaint.” The bot will help you form your appeal. The finished complaint must be sent to the address indicated in its header.
This bot works primarily as an assistant in drafting complaints. After you send the prepared text, the authorized body is required to review it and determine whether there are grounds for action.
Responsible authorities
The State Environmental Inspectorate notes that sometimes the information on violations is insufficient for effective review. This can make it difficult to respond promptly and hold those responsible accountable. Therefore, the inspectorate appeals to concerned citizens to record what they see as thoroughly as possible-with photos, videos, and comments from other witnesses.
You can also contact the relevant authorities directly. These include:
- territorial offices of the State Environmental Inspectorate;
- National Police;
- local self-government bodies;
- specialized services – forest protection or fisheries protection;
- government hotline 1545.
It is important to record all facts in the appeal as clearly as possible, and not to forget to leave your contact details for feedback. It is advisable to check whether the appeal has actually been registered in order to be able to track the review timelines.
“In many cases, publicity also helps. Information in the media or on social networks draws attention to the issue and can accelerate its resolution. The proactive stance of citizens is highly significant for environmental protection. Thanks to people's vigilance, illegal logging, water pollution, and other violations are often stopped,” the environmental inspection office emphasizes.
