Air pollution is harming the health of Ukrainians
Worsening air quality in Ukraine has an adverse effect on the population and demographic situation in the country, said the participants of a press conference organized in Kyiv on February 12 by the Living Planet NGO with support from the International Renaissance Foundation’s European Program.
“The increased release of toxic substances into the environment has the greatest effect on the health of the population. It harms the quality of agricultural products, affects the climate of certain regions and the ozone layer, kills flora and fauna. Carbon, sulfur, nitrogen, hydrocarbons, lead compounds, dust and so on that enter the atmosphere have a very toxic effect on the human body,” said the president of Living Planet, Svitlana Berzina.
She also noted that according to the Ministry of Health, data for 2007-2011 showed that prevalence of disease in Ukraine is rising. According to the World Health Organization, more than 2 million people die every year from inhaling tiny particles in polluted air indoors and outdoors.
Olha Kvashuk, Project Coordinator for IRF’s European Program, added: “Air pollution is one of the most important environmental issues and it is vitally necessary that we increase efforts to reduce harm.” According to the 2012 European Integration Index for Eastern Partnership Countries, Ukraine ranks third in the category “Environment and sustainable development”. A closer analysis of this report, particularly regarding resources efficiency and pressure to / state of environment, shows that the situation in Ukraine is the worst among the six Eastern Partnership countries. However, there are some positive trends: Ukraine has a strong network of environmentalists actively working on drafting documents to improve the environment, in particular as part of the “Plan of Measures for the Implementation in 2013 of the National Program of Adaptation of Ukrainian Legislation to EU Legislation,” she said.
According to the experts, the biggest polluters in Ukraine are the steel, thermal power, coal, oil and gas, and cement industries. The largest share of pollutants (41.3%, excluding carbon dioxide) comes from the production and supply of electricity, gas and water.
Contacts:
Living Planet NGO
+380 67 886 31 93
+380 63 982 32 53
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The essential role of the European Program lies in promotion of Ukraine’s European integration, combining external pressure of the EU with the domestic one of the Ukrainian civil society, and thus contributing to promotion of open society values in Ukraine.
