Members of the Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group (UNCG) have received a response letter from the European Commission's Directorate-General for the Environment regarding draft law No. 9516, which would abolish environmental impact assessments for clear-cutting. European officials share the public's concern about this document and see a number of risks in it.
UHF activists reported this on Facebook.
The European Commission's environmental experts noted that the adoption of the draft law No. 9516 “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Effective Forest Management Based on Forestry on the Principles of Close-to-Nature Forestry Adapted to Climate Change and Conservation of Forest Biodiversity”:
- will violate the requirements of EU legislation;
- will weaken the nature protection component in forest management;
- will increase the risk of felling healthy trees;
- will weaken the ability of competent authorities to prevent abuses and violations.
Activists also recalled that the Specialized Environmental Prosecutor's Office also pointed out risks in the fight against illegal logging. They noted that more than 30 environmental organizations from around the world, which work to preserve forests and investigate illegal logging, opposed the draft law.
The UPG added that the anti-corruption committee of the Verkhovna Rada recognized the non-compliance of draft law No. 9516 with the requirements of anti-corruption legislation and stated that it could lead to abuses and uncontrolled deforestation.
"Will this stop the State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" in their constant efforts to push through the law? Unlikely. Because their goal is to destroy independent control over the purpose of solid sanitary felling. They do not need European integration, the main thing is to cut down more," the activists are sure.
They expressed hope that the government and the Verkhovna Rada will listen to the European Commission, anti-corruption officers, law enforcement officers and the public.
At the beginning of March, EcoPolitic reported that eco-activists from the public organization SaveDnipro declared, that 70% of the provisions should be removed from draft law No. 9516, and the rest should be significantly changed due to the threat of deforestation. But despite this, parliamentary the environmental committee voted for this bill. We also told details of the corruption scheme, which draft law No. 9516 will make possible to implement, as well as cited the arguments of its author – Oleksandr Matusevich – with which he explains the necessity of its adoption.
