Source: Association of Ukrainian Cities
On March 5, Ivano-Frankivsk hosted a training seminar on strategic environmental assessment, which agenda included its role, legislative framework, basic implementation principles and elements.
The event was organized in the framework of “Partnership for Local Economic Development and Democratic Governance” Project (PLEDDG), implemented by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) in partnership with the Association of Ukrainian Cities.
The participants were representatives of local self-governance bodies and executive bodies of Ivano-Frankivsk, PLEDDG’s experts and consultants, and representatives of architecture and design organizations. Besides, the seminar welcomed the participation of Ivano-Frankivsk SRA’s representatives: First Deputy Head Maria Savka and head of Ecology and Natural Resources Department Andrii Plikhtiak.
Opening the event, Maria Savka stressed on the importance of SEA, as far as it was raising attention to ecological and social problems.
Director of Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Department of AUC Yurii Stefanchuk welcomed the participants on behalf of the Association and noted that amalgamated communities were being given more and more powers and opportunities to implement the development projects, whereas new mechanisms taking into account both impact on ecology and on human health would become drivers of success on this way.
PLEDDG Senior Expert in Intergovernmental Cooperation and Economic Development, Oleksandr Ignatenko presented activity of PLEDDG Project in Ukraine and SEA as a part thereof.
In the course of the seminar, PLEDDG experts presented the following issues:
- SEA: main characteristics and relation to Environment Impact Assessment;
- Main provisions of the Law of Ukraine “On Strategic Environmental Assessment”, standard setting activity in the sphere of SEA;
- Participation of authorized bodies, community and interested parties in SEA;
- Taking into account SEA results in national planning documents.
Director of Green Economics Institute, Project Manager of the reform of the system of environmental control, monitoring and responsibility of Reforms Delivery Office of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine Viacheslav Potapenko presented a report on: “Report on SEA: National Requirements and Practical Considerations”.