From January 15 to 23, 2015, the Ukrainian National Environmental NGO “MAMA-86” (UNENGO “MAMA-86”) held 4 regional round-tables (for Western, Central, Eastern and Southern Ukraine in Ternopil, Kyiv, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhya respectively) to collect and discuss regional CSOs’ assessments of environmental policy.

The round tables were held in the framework of “Building Environmental Democracy in Ukraine” project, funded by the EU and implemented by UNENGO “MAMA-86”, within the component “CSOs environmental policy assessment”. The project aims at improving the environmental policy of Ukraine through an enhanced and qualified public participation in environmental policy planning, implementation and assessment.

During these regional round tables representatives of environmental NGOs from all over Ukraine had a possibility to meet and discuss their views on national and local environmental policy. The discussion was based on the participants’ feedback to the presented draft report of the civil society assessment of environmental policy in Ukraine, prepared by a team of leading experts from environmental CSOs on the basis of a tailor-made policy analysis methodology. The assessment considers different aspects of Ukrainian environmental policy, including the main challenges, stakeholders, policy changes, aims of policy and its realisation, reaction to the policy, assessment of regional environmental policy implementation, etc.

Participants of the regional discussions, having listened to the presentations of the key report authors, expressed their own views on environmental policy as seen from the local level. One of the aspects of the Ukrainian environmental policy that worries most environmental activists from all over the country is the consequences of the administrative reform, which led to the liquidation of the territorial (regional) branches of the Ministry of the Environment of Ukraine. Environmental governance functions on the oblast level were transferred to the Oblast State Administrations. Without proper methodological support and with numerous legal gaps accompanying the transfer, the administrations are not able to perform these functions effectively, and some functions are lost altogether. Other problems mentioned as critical during discussions in almost every region were waste management, absence of environmental monitoring system, corruption, and the ban of environmental inspections.

The participants also presented good practices of dealing with local environmental problems and shared their experience with each other. In some regions, CSOs successfully work in civic councils and implement environmental projects together with public authorities. For example, in Ternopil oblast local activists have improved the situation with local forestry together with the Forest Administration and education establishments. Now they plan, as a next step, to change the city plan in order to increase the amount of greenery. Lugansk member of local branch of “MAMA-86” shares her experience, how together with other activists they prevented the local violation of environmental provisions and won a case on this in the court, bringing the violator to responsibility.  

 The final report, which will comprise the results of regional round tables and submitted comments and proposals, will be presented and discussed on February 16^th in the Aarhus Center in Kyiv, and communicated to the stakeholders, including the wide public, through media and other communication channels. It is expected that the presentation of the public assessment, along with subsequent action to ensure that its findings are taken into account, will contribute to improved public participation and strengthening of the effectiveness of the exercise of the citizens’ right to access to environment-related information and participation in decision-making on issues, which concern environment.