ULRMC and ERRIU Initiate Round Tables on Environment, Resources and Security

Aiming to draw wide public attention to critical environmental issues in Ukraine, ULRMC, in partnership with ERRIU, conducted a series of round tables, including:

• "Security of Water Resources as a Source for Drinking Water Supply"
• "Prospective for the Development of the Tourist Industry in Ukraine"
• "IT Application (Remote Sensing, GIS, and Internet) in Biodiversity Conservation and Management of Natural Reserve Areas"

The round tables brought together over 80 participants who were able to raise and discuss the issues of their interest, with 22 participants presenting relevant reports. The list of participants included:

• Major government agencies such as: State Water Management Committee, State Construction Committee of Ukraine, and Council on the Study of Productive Forces
• Leading national-level universities such as: Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and Kyiv University of Tourism, Economics and Law
• Leading non-governmental organizations such as: EcoCenter, MAMA-86

Among major outcomes are:

The round table on drinking water supply was one of the ULRMC's steps in assuming a leading role in the Dnipro Basin monitoring process. Consequently, ULRMC was named by UNOP as the coordinating agency in joining efforts of collaborative agencies on drafting the State of Dnipro Basin Report.

The Kerch city officials that attended the round table on natural reserve management expressed interest in using ULRMC experience and products in improving environmental planning in the region. In response to that request, ULRMC is drafting the project "Development of Support Materials for Improvement of Environmental Planning on Kerch Peninsula."

Participants of the recreation and tourist development round table drafted a set of recommendations for the Ukrainian government, including recommendations to develop Laws on Recreation; a concept of a Recreation and Tourism Industry of Ukraine; regional tourism development programs; research on the impact of various activities on recreational resources; and environmental management related to tourist organizations.

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