We present the analytical document “Strategic environmental assessment of community development strategies as a tool for their sustainable development“, prepared by experts of WG3 UNP – National Environmental Center of Ukraine, International Charitable Organization “Green Dossier Information Center”, International Charitable Organization “Ecology-Law-Human”, as part of the UNP initiative.
We continue to share the results of initiatives supported by the UNP in 2021 under the project “Support to the Ukrainian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (UNP EaP CSF) in 2021-2023”, administered by the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting funded by the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and the European Union.
Purpose of the initiative. Purpose. Promote effective strategy in the regions of Ukraine through the proper use of the SEA tool.
SEA, Strategic Environmental Assessment, is a tool that communities can use to plan wisely and long-term sustainable development of their territories.
What is this initiative about? About an effective democratic instrument approved by the legislation of Ukraine, which is not yet properly used at the regional and local levels, which is not well known to communities, which some authorities and businesses try not to notice.
Three tools were used to study the situation: study of available legal, statistical and analytical materials; poll; consultation meetings.
A survey and three regional consultations were conducted: a total of 75 people took part in the study. Suggestions and comments are included in the analytical document. Consultation meetings were held in a mixed format (using zoom and live) in three oblasts – Kharkiv, Kherson and Cherkasy.
Based on these consultations, the analytical document “Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of community development strategies: ways to overcome problems” was prepared. The document highlights the main / typical problems, the current situation regarding the attitude of regional development programs to the SEA and the reasons for the current situation; the structure (algorithm) of actions at development of strategies of development of communities with positive examples from regions of Ukraine is given; developed recommendations for improving the situation, which can be used both at the community level and for consulting activities of regional programs and government agencies responsible for developing local development strategies.
Information campaign
Public events were held as part of the consultation process. Round tables / consultations with the local population in a mixed format were held in three regions of Ukraine. As these meetings were held during quarantine restrictions and due to the need to provide the opportunity to participate to all comers, regardless of health, – some participants joined through the zoom, and some – directly at the venue.
Kharkiv, October 7, Consultation Meeting “Community Planning and Environmental Component of Development Strategies” was held on the Open Environmental Platform (Time Media Center),
Kherson, October 12, Consultation meeting “Community Planning and Environmental Component of Development Strategies” was held at the Holoprystan City Council and online. The main direction is a positive experience of territory development on the basis of sustainable development.
Cherkasy, October 27, Round table “Environmental issues of community development strategies of Cherkasy region” was held at the Cherkasy Regional State Administration.
An online presentation of the document was held on December 17, 2022, with the participation of project participants, as well as a newly created structure – a network of environmental community mentors (implemented within the School of Community Leaders with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation). Today, the activities of this program extend to 30 communities from 21 oblasts of Ukraine, and therefore the conclusions and proposals of our initiative will be disseminated to them through a network of environmental mentors. More than 100 people joined the viewing of the presentation, the material is available on the YouTube page of the Green Dossier, and therefore the number of views is increasing every day.
Advocacy campaign
During the preparation of the regional consultations, local experts / coordinators worked to study the situation in the United territorial community of the oblast, identifying the most acute problems and problem areas together with communities and authorities, and involved representatives of communities and local government bodies to cover the discussions complex issues, as well as to focus as much as possible on the possibility of developing an adequate strategy for sustainable development with the use of SEA.
A recently established structure, a network of community environmental mentors (implemented within the School of Community Leaders with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation), has been involved in disseminating information to communities. Today, the activities of this program extend to 30 communities from 21 oblasts of Ukraine, and therefore the conclusions and proposals of our initiative will be disseminated to them through a network of environmental mentors.
Regarding the involvement of the Ministry of Communities and Territories: the Ministry is constantly informed; an official letter of invitation to the presentation was sent, the final publication for study and comments was submitted, and a number of negotiations were held to involve us in our initiative.
What results have been achieved
Representatives of communities, local governments and executive authorities of the three oblasts joined the initiative, received information on the development of development strategies and SEA, as well as consultations on hot issues at the local level.
Representatives of the regional government structures of the three oblasts received information about the SEA, met with community representatives and experts of our initiative.
All participants of the consultations joined the discussion of urgent problems and possible ways to solve them, which is reflected in the final publication.
Information about the initiative has been disseminated to other regions of Ukraine through wide distribution, online broadcasting, publication of research results and involvement of new structures.
The need to integrate state environmental policy into regional and local development strategies is stated in policy documents, but in practice this is difficult. Consequently, educational activities must continue, attracting the attention of a growing number of local communities and activists. The identified priorities of the profile groups of both pro-European platforms also confirm this.
DOWNLOAD Analytical document Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of community development strategies: ways to overcome problems: analytical document / Tamara Malkova, Olena Kravchenko, Dmytro Ivanov, Ruslan Havryliuk, Oleh Perehon, Oleksandr Bohdanis, Fedir Barulin; Ukrainian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum. – Kyiv, 2021. – 19 p.
Video recording of presentations of initiatives at the Annual Conference of the UNP EaP CSC, November 9-10, 2021
The initiative was implemented within the framework of the project “Support to the activities of the UNP EaP CSF in 2021-2023”, funded by the European Union, the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and implemented by the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting.
