UNENGO “MAMA-86” is the only public organization that represents Ukraine at the Global Summit Rio+20. The Day asked Zoriana Mishchuk, information manager of the UNENGO “MAMA-86” to comment on this event. In fact, Mishchuk will be the person to help the Ukrainian mass media cover this year’s meeting in Rio de Janeiro.
Ms. Mishchuk, could you please tell us what officials will represent Ukraine at the Rio+20? In your opinion, will the number of members in the Ukrainian delegation this year be sufficient to objectively present information?
“President Viktor Yanukovych decided not to participate in the conference, unlike heads of other 130 states expected to come to Rio. The low level of representation (this means no head of the state or government in delegation) is an indication of the government’s attitude to the issue of sustainable development. Over 20 years since the previous conference in Rio, the Ukrainian government has failed to adopt an appropriate strategic document and implement the ideas of sustainable development in state policy. (By the way, according to the information provided by the Informational Center ‘Green Dossier,’ Russian delegation for Rio+20 includes nearly 300 people!)”
Which of the issues that are planned to be discussed during this meeting are defined by your organization as a priority for our country?
“Most of the issues that will be addressed at the conference are important for Ukraine, including strengthening of institutional mechanisms for sustainable development, creating conditions for development of green economy, implementation of Goals for Sustainable Development which would change or supplement the Goals of the Millennium, adoption of a 10-year framework program of sustainable consumption and production, etc.
“I would like to emphasize the importance of the institutional support of sustainable development, as sustainable development is a complex issue that involves the harmonious development of economic, environmental and social component, as well as reconciling the interests of current and future generations. Therefore, the development and implementation of the concept of sustainable development requires horizontal (intersectoral) and vertical (between various levels) coordination and full involvement of concerned parties (civil society, business, local authorities, etc.) in decision-making process.
“Even the previous summits on sustainable development discussed the need to establish national councils for sustainable development, which would perform coordination role. In Ukraine an agency with the same title was formally established under the auspices of the Cabinet of Ministers, but this council did not gather for meetings and in its nature it is not able to perform these complex tasks to ensure transition to sustainable development. Moreover, the already existing institutional mechanisms are being destroyed in Ukraine, I mean the bill No. 10218 passed in the first reading. If passed in general, this law would close up the regional centers of the Ministry of Natural Resources and would subordinate them to regional administrations, which would lead to destruction of the system of efficient state policy on management and environmental protection, as well as of the system of eco-monitoring. It would also lead to losing control over the activities of enterprises, institutions, and organizations in the sphere of management of nature, concentration of management powers in regard to the resources of the state level under the authority of local administrations, losing human resources, results of long-term development, databases, and information.
“Thus, while the whole world is thinking about how to move forward effectively, Ukraine, at best, is standing still (as is the case with the developing strategy of sustainable development) or maybe even rolling back.”
In terms of environment, this conference for Ukraine may be no less important than Euro-2012 in the sphere of sport. In your opinion, have Ukrainian citizens received enough information about this event in order to be able to analytically analyze in simple terms the importance of the issues suggested for consideration at this year’s summit?
“The vast majority of Ukraine’s population has no idea either about the Conference, or the idea of sustainable development. Sustainable development is not the top priority issue for politicians, officials, and also mass media, therefore, an average Ukrainian does not have an access to information about what this concept means for the country and society.
“Ukrainians are also mainly focused on their own problems and are little interested in global processes, thus, it is highly unlikely that the Conference Rio+20 will attract the attention of our society.”
It is well known that Ukraine has signed many environmental documents adopted at the previous meetings (Aarhus and Carpathian Conventions), which does not stop some officials from violating some basic points of these important documents (most recent example is the project of constructing small hydro power plants in the Carpathians, which caused a negative response of the part of Ukrainian society, grossly violates paragraphs of the Carpathian Convention), and this, in its turn, caused, if to put it mildly, incomprehension from European community. Will the issue of environmental culture and serious responsibility of those who systematically violate accepted agreements be discussed at the Conference?
“Ukraine is, indeed, one of the region leaders by the number of international agreements it has signed. However, contrary to the principles of international law, accession to the agreement (ratification) does not automatically mean that it is fulfilled in Ukraine. Unfortunately, most of these international legal instruments do not provide sanctions in case of violation of their provisions, except for some kind of a public ‘reprimand,’ that is publication of negative assessments of the implementation of certain provisions listed in the agreements. The decisions that will be made at the Conference also will have no enforcement mechanisms, but Ukraine, both government and society, must realize that we need to ensure implementation of the international obligations if we want to live in an environmentally clean, economically strong, and socially fair country.”
