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Environmental Assessment and Recovery Priorities for Eastern Ukraine

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Environmental Assessment and Recovery Priorities for Eastern Ukraine ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND RECOVERY PRIORITIES FOR EASTERN UKRAINE 1 © Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, 2017 ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE IN EASTERN UKRAINE AND RECOVERY PRIORITIES This publication has been prepared under the project “Assessment of Environmental Damage in Eastern Ukraine,” implemented by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine with financial support from the Governments of Austria and Canada and in cooperation with Zoï Environment Network (Switzerland). Project coordination: Alla Yushchuk, Iryna Loik, Yaroslav Yurtsaba. Text: Nickolai Denisov and Dmytro Averin, with contributions from Alla Yushchuk, Viktor Yermakov, Oleh Ulytskyi, Pavlo Bystrov, Serhii Zibtsev, Serhii Chumachenko, Yurii Nabyvanets. This publication uses materials taken from desk and field studies performed under the project “Assessment of Environmental Damage in Eastern Ukraine”. The authors would like to thank the participants of the working meeting, held in Kyiv on 4 September 2017, which discussed the priorities of environmental safety and the future of environmental rehabilitation in Eastern Ukraine, for providing information, comments, and proposals. Reviewers: Viktor Karamushka, Director of the Department of Environmental Studies of the National University “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy”, Doug Weir, Toxic Remnants of War Project (UK), Laurent Nicole ACTA Conseils Sàrl (Switzerland). Photography: Yevhen Nadiarnyi, SD BAWR, depositphotos.com Artwork and design: Yuliia Madinova Environmental Assessment and Recovery Priorities for Eastern Ukraine. – Kyiv: VAITE, 2017. - 88 p. ISBN 978-966-2310-87-0 The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine strives to ensure accuracy and completeness of this publication; however, the opinions, conclusions, interpretations, and deductions stated herein reflect the authors’ point of view and may not coincide with the official position of the OSCE and its member-states. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND RECOVERY PRIORITIES FOR EASTERN UKRAINE 4 CONTENTS LIST OF MAPS, GRAPHS, TABLES, BOXES AND ABBREVIATIONS.........................................................................................................................................6 FOREWORD ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 10 SUMMARY AND MAIN CONCLUSIONS ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 ASSESSMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THE ARMED CONFLICT IN EASTERN UKRAINE ��������������������������������������������17 What do we know about environmental issues in the conflict area? ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 19 Direct pollution in the aftermath of the hostilities ................................................................................................................................................................. 25 Industrial pollution ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 37 Operational disruptions and flooding of mines ....................................................................................................................................................................... 45 Water supply, water disposal, and waste removal challenges ............................................................................................................................................ 53 Impact on land resources, ecosystems, flora, and fauna....................................................................................................................................................... 57 Decrease in environmental activities within the conflict area ............................................................................................................................................ 65 Environmental consequences outside the conflict area ....................................................................................................................................................... 68 PRIORITIES OF REDUCING ECOLOGICAL HAZARDS AND IMPROVING THE ENVIRONMENT IN EASTERN UKRAINE ���������������������69 (1) Yesterday: information and analysis ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 71 (2) Today: reducing ecological hazards from major sources ................................................................................................................................................ 72 (3) Tomorrow: restoring environmental activities in the region ........................................................................................................................................ 76 (4) Day after Tomorrow: environmental future of the Donbas ........................................................................................................................................... 80 REFERENCES .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 81 NOTES ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 85 5 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND RECOVERY PRIORITIES FOR EASTERN UKRAINE LIST OF MAPS AND GRAPHS Location of soils and bottom sediments sampling sites .................................................................................................................................................27 Relative difference of soil pollution in conflict-affected areas vs. the background level ....................................................................................29 Monitoring locations for the multi-year analysis of surface water quality ...............................................................................................................33 Incidents and disruptions at industrial facilities during 2014-2017 ...........................................................................................................................38 Changes in air quality near Luhansk Power Plant during 2014 hostilities ................................................................................................................39 Environmental risk assessment in the conflict area ..........................................................................................................................................................42 Flooding of mines in eastern Ukraine ....................................................................................................................................................................................47 Water level in coal mines flooding in the northern section of central Donbas ......................................................................................................48 Water level in coal mines flooding in the southern section of central Donbas ......................................................................................................48 Water level in the Pervomaisk group of coal mines flooding in the Luhansk Oblast ...........................................................................................49 Vulnerability of the underground aquifers of the Stakhanov – Pervomaisk mining and residential agglomeration ..............................50 Average fire density per administrative region of Ukraine and Russia within and outside of the conflict area during 2014 vegetation period ................................................................................................................................................................................................59 Fire density according to MODIS satellite data in July – August 2014 �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������60 Seasonal variations in fire intensity in regions of eastern Ukraine in 2014 ..............................................................................................................61 Natural protected areas damaged during the conflict ....................................................................................................................................................62 6 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND RECOVERY PRIORITIES FOR EASTERN UKRAINE LIST OF TABLES Selected studies and overviews of environmental issues and priorities in eastern Ukraine ..........................................................................20 Summary results of the chemical analysis of soil composition .................................................................................................................................28
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