DiXi Group expert analyzes the openness of the civic sector in environmental protection
DiXi Group expert Olha Polunina took part in the online conference “Environmental Policy and Advocacy Initiative for Ukraine” (EPAIU), held on 9-10 November 2020.
The attendees analyzed the opportunities for civil society in controlling the use of natural resources and environmental protection if the treatment of nature by humans remains inconsiderate.
During this event, Olha Polunina, DiXi Group Manager for Sustainable Development and expert in extractive operations, and a research group presented a report: “The impact and role of civil society institutes in using and protecting natural resources in Ukraine“.
According to this study, held with the support from the International Renaissance Foundation, Democratic Practice program and the Environmental Policy and Advocacy Initiative for Ukraine, the activity of civil society institutions (CSIs) has, overall, a substantial impact on the public awareness as regards the use of natural resources and a moderate effect on the national policy on the environment and the use of natural resources. It was also noted that the overwhelming majority (62.5%) of CSIs in all sectors (except CSIs concerned with soil protection) do not publish information about their sources of financing, which indicates that the civic sector is, probably, not prepared to disclose its financial information in open sources.
“Our main recommendations to civil society institutions are to disclose information about ourselves, enlarge and unite. Synergy and cooperation are the development opportunities that would allow to exert greater influence on decision making,” Olha Polunina stressed when speaking at the conference.
