The awards were given to the 50 best public initiatives in the environmental field – the introduction of waste-free production, solving the problem of air purification, disposal of hazardous waste and examples of environmental management and energy conservation.

Kyiv, Ukraine, 16 December 2021 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) received an award based on the results of 2021 environmental initiatives in the field of "Leadership – the basis of eco-transformation" during the Fourth All-Ukrainian Forum "Leadership and Eco-Transformation 2021", held in Kyiv on 16 December 2021.

The award went to initiatives under the "Effective Governance and Citizen Engagement for Justice, Security, Environment and Social Cohesion in Eastern Ukraine" project implemented by UNDP within the UN Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme with the financial support of the governments of Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland.

Over the past two years, UNDP has conducted several studies to systematise data and sources of environmental hazards in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. Based on research, the organisation helped local authorities identify priority actions to reduce environmental risks and improve the environment in eastern Ukraine, and provided recommendations to mitigate existing challenges, namely air, water and soil pollution, waste management, ecological monitoring, and also the introduction of the necessary changes at the institutional level.

In total, this year, the UNDP has supported about 60 civic initiatives in eastern Ukraine that promote more efficient waste management and recycling, promote renewable energy sources, develop green tourism and restore water resources in local communities.

In addition, for the regions most affected by floods and inundations, the UNDP has developed a Flood Response Strategy and is implementing multiple measures to strengthen their preparedness for similar natural disasters in the future.

Receiving the award, the coordinator of the "Local Governance and Decentralisation Reform" Component of the UN Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme, Olena Ruditch, noted that UNDP's priorities include strengthening communities' capacity to respond more effectively to climate change as well as supporting their institutional capacity to improve environmental governance. 

"Through our initiatives, we will continue to support local authorities, particularly in the communities affected by the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine, in creating, implementing and strengthening the necessary processes, policies and programmes to achieve sustainable development at the local level," Ruditch added.

The main goal of the Eco transformation project, which for the fourth time in a row celebrates achievements in the environmental sphere, is to draw the attention of civil society, government, businesses, and the scientific community towards the need for collaboration to find solutions to reduce climate change and its anthropogenic impacts on the environment, and to ensure the exchange of experiences between those who seek answers and those who offer them.

The founder of the Eco transformation project, Liudmyla Tsyhanok, noted that without consolidating the efforts of government, business, and communities, it is impossible to move towards a singular goal – a robust green economy, and the efficient use of nature and clean energy. 

"Despite all the difficulties and discussions, there are such successful examples. Green transformation involves a complete restructuring of all value chains! Therefore, world economists are not just talking about environmental technologies and ecological modernisation, but the green transformation of economies. This is a critical strategic issue facing every country and their communities," Tsyhanok added.

Background

The United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme (UN RPP) is being implemented by four United Nations agencies: the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).

Twelve international partners support the Programme: the European Union (EU), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, and the governments of Canada, Denmark, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and Switzerland.

Media enquiries

Yulia Samus, Communications Team Lead, UNDP, yuliia.samus@undp.org.