The Cabinet of Ministers approved the action plan for the implementation of the Biosafety and Biosecurity Strategy for 2022-2025.
It is aimed at eliminating possible biological threats, preventing the spread of genetically modified plants and animals and invasive alien species in the country, reports Ministry of Natural Resources.
The head of the Ministry of Natural Resources Ruslan Strilets said that the Strategy was adopted at the end of 2021 to implement the decision of the National Security and Defense Council, put into effect by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky.
“Today, in fact, the Government approved a roadmap for its implementation. This is an important component of the national security of Ukraine. The implementation of the Strategy will make it possible to create an effective national system of biological safety and biological protection of both the population and our ecosystems," he commented.
Now in Ukraine, invasive species are quite common, for example, Sosnovsky's hogweed. This plant causes irritation and burns to the skin in humans. Farmers, owners of private estates and nature conservationists are fighting it.
Invasive species can destroy and change entire ecosystems, as they quickly adapt to new conditions and crowd out native species.
"The document approved today provides for the implementation of a set of measures within 4 years - from improving the skills of specialists in biosafety and biosecurity and creating a public information system to improving legislation and defining the powers of state authorities," the Ministry of Natural Resources explained.
Also, as part of the Strategy, it is planned to:
- to make changes in the mechanism for exercising control over the spread of invasive alien species in various areas of economic activity and minimizing their negative impact;
- develop criteria for classifying plant and animal species as invasive alien species;
- approve a list of such species, taking into account the levels of danger they pose;
- conduct an inventory of invasive alien species at the local, regional and national levels;
- form appropriate databases, etc.
Recall what is biodiversity, why it needs to be protected and how it is done in Ukraine.
As EcoPolitic reported earlier, the Ministry of Natural Resources called amounts and steps to restore nature Ukraine after the war.
