Consideration of environmental protection goals is an important prerequisite for industrial development, especially during the post-war recovery. Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a procedure that determines the possible hazardous impact on the environment and public health when making decisions on business activities (construction, reconstruction, technical re-equipment, expansion, repurposing, liquidation of facilities, other interference with the environment), taking into account state, public and private interests.
EIA is designed to ensure public participation in decision-making processes that affect the environment. However, before the war, this procedure was not working properly: it allowed the construction of enterprises that reported excessive emissions of hazardous substances in their EIA reports. During the war and postwar reconstruction, EIA was restricted.
Therefore, during the post-war recovery, a non-efficient EIA can delay and complicate construction, launch projects important to the state, and increase the risks of implementing potentially environmentally hazardous activities. Ecoclub believes that Ukraine needs to reform its environmental impact assessment system.
What we do
– Fighting for the right to a clean environment in Rivne Oblast.
– Developing a public air quality monitoring network in Rivne Oblast.
– Ensuring the right to open access to environmental information for the public (submits requests to the Ministry of Environment, Regional State Administration, potentially threatening enterprises to provide and clarify information on environmental impact, analyzes and publishes it in its own communication channels).
– Helping fight for the right of the public to participate in environmental decision-making processes (examines EIA reports on potentially environmentally threatening projects, engages the public in their study, submits comments and suggestions, and publishes the results).
– Informing municipalities about opportunities to participate in environmental decision-making processes (publishes information on planned activities of enterprises, informs how to get acquainted with documentation during martial law, disseminates information in the media about ways and opportunities for public participation in EIA decision-making).
– Analyzing the legal framework in the field of EIA, studies the peculiarities of its implementation and provides recommendations for improvement to government representatives (prepares studies/materials on the effectiveness of existing EIA legislation in Ukraine and abroad, draft laws in the field of EIA, sends letters with proposals and comments on the same).
– Preparing proposals for improving the EIA instrument in Ukraine.
How to join this activity
– Help prepare information materials (posts, articles, interviews).
– Assist in organizing and conducting events and online activities.
– Analyze, submit proposals and comments to environmental impact assessment reports of enterprises.
– Participate in the development of proposals to improve the EIA. To do this, write a letter to the Ecoclub’s specialist, Yulia Kvitka, at kvitka@ecoclubribne.org.
Publications on the case:
The suggested changes to the EIA system is a setback for the progress of Ukraine towards EU integration
How to ensure economic and environmental interests: Ecoclub’s recommendations how to change the environmental impact assessment in Ukraine
Why Ecoclub is suing to the Department of Ecology and Natural Resources of Rivne Regional State Administration
More about the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of criticism of the polluting company Kronospan by Ecoclub
NGO Ecoclub defended the right to criticize Kronospan in the Supreme Court
Ecoclub will again sue the Department of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Rivne Regional State Administration
For criticizing the potential damage from the plant, Kronospan sues a local activist
The main grounds of Ecoclub’s appeal to the Supreme Court in the case of Kronospan
Ecoclub filed a cassation appeal to the Supreme Court in the case of Kronospan
Lawsuit against Ecoclub: consideration of the case on the merits has begun
Lawsuit against Ecoclub: at the initiative of Kronospan the court proceedings were postponed
Kronospan court with Ecoclub: MEPs called on the Government and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to prioritize environmental issues
11 tonnes of formaldehyde into the air each year – estimated emissions from the planned Kronospan plant in Horodok
The concentration of formaldehyde in Horodok will be exceeded 9 times – Ecoclub
Representatives of Kronospan have filed a lawsuit against Ecoclub
Kronospan court with Ecoclub: MEPs called on the Government and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to prioritize environmental issues
Contacts:
+38 (067) 363-62-26, office@ecoclubrivne.org
Ecoclub - Kronospan
2023
UN is considering Ecoclub’s complaint relating the shortcomings of Ukrainian legislation on environmental impact assessment
Ecoclub has filed a
complaint to the Aarhus Convention. The state procedures for strategic environmental assessment (SEA) and environmental impact assessment (EIA) in Ukraine are flawed and do not ensure proper public participation. These problems result in the construction of hazardous to human health and the environment facilities and encourage cooperation with unscrupulous investors.
Ecoclub analyzed the new environmental impact assessment report of Kronospan: it contains inaccurate information
Ecoclub is concerned about the inaccurate and incomplete information in the report. In particular, regarding the amount of water consumption, waste generation and management, and the impact of noise pollution.
Kronospan started a new environmental impact assessment procedure
Kronospan woodworking plant near Rivne is planning to expand its production. The company has published a new environmental impact assessment report. It describes activities that may affect human health and the environment.
2022
THE COURT CANCELLED KRONOSPAN`S POSITIVE EIA REPORT CONCLUSION
Ecoclub won the court case against the Department of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Rivne Regional State Administration. At the court hearing on July 1 Rivne Regional Administrative Court canceled the positive conclusion of Kronospan`s environmental impact assessment report.
THE BEGINNING OF CASE REVIEW: ECOCLUB AGAINST THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES OF RIVNE REGIONAL STATE ADMINISTRATION
In 2020, the Ecoclub filed a lawsuit against the Department of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Rivne Regional State Administration. We demanded the cancellation of the positive conclusion from Kronospan`s environmental impact assessment.
The court proceedings lasted more than two years because initially, the local courts made an illegal decision to return the Ecoclub`s lawsuit. Subsequently, the duration of the proceedings was affected by the state of war in Ukraine and the participation of many participants in the process (the third party – Kronospan).
2021
The Supreme Court of Ukraine approved the Ecoclub`s complaint against the decision of the local court in the case against the Department of environmental of Rivne Regional State Administration
With a lawsuit to the Department, Ecoclub challenged the positive conclusion on the environmental impact assessment report of the Kronospan woodworking plant, which made its construction possible.
The court of the first instance and the appellate court did not allow Ecoclub`s case to be considered. We appealed to the Supreme Court to defend the right to cancel the positive conclusion, and our appeal was confirmed.
Ecoclub has filed a cassation appeal to the Supreme Court in the case against the Department of Ecology
Ecoclub appeals to the positive conclusion on the environmental impact assessment of the woodworking plant. The conclusion on the environmental impact assessment was issued by the Department of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Rivne Regional State Administration. Rivne Regional State Administration accepted the report of Kronospan and allowed the construction of a woodworking plant. However, Ecoclub’s claim to the Department was not allowed to be considered in the court of the first instance. Therefore, the Ecoclub again appealed to the Supreme Court in the hope of a fair trial.
The Supreme Court satisfied Ecoclub’s complaint in the case of Kronospan
The Supreme Court of Ukraine acquitted Ecoclub, which criticized the planned activities of the Kronospan woodworking plant and overturned the decisions of Rivne courts, which found the Ecoclub’s publications illegal.
The Supreme Court has recognized that public criticism of environmentally threatening projects is an essential foundation of the democratic system of the state and cannot be limited.
Ecoclub lost in the Court of Appeal
Ecoclub lost the Court of Appeals and filed a cassation appeal to the Supreme Court.
2020
Ecoclub lost in the Court of First Instance
Ecoclub lost the court of the first instance and appealed to the Court of Appeal.
Ecoclub filed a lawsuit against the Department of Ecology of the Rivne Regional State Administration
In the lawsuit, Ecoclub asked to cancel Kronospan’s conclusion on the environmental impact assessment. The lawsuit was accepted for consideration and later returned because the documents were signed by a legal adviser instead of the organization’s head. The Ecoclub filed an appeal, which later was rejected.
Members of the European Parliament support the Ecoclub
Member of the European Parliament Viola von Cramon and 25 colleagues supported Ecoclub during the trial with representatives of Kronospan.
The beginning of the lawsuit against Ecoclub
In the lawsuit, they demanded refuting the allegations in the environmental impact assessment report and reimbursing UAH 150,000. Subsequently, Kronospan reduced the amount of compensation to UAH 1.
The public supported the Ecoclub before the first trial.
Representatives of Kronospan didn’t appear at the first court hearing. They did the exact five times.
Ecoclub’s position on the report on environmental impact assessment
Ecoclub sent a letter to the Rivne Regional State Administration and published on website position on Kronospan’s report on Environmental Impact Assessment.
Protests of locals
Locals wanted to draw attention to the potential damage from the woodworking plant and organized protests on Independence Square in Rivne and near the Rivne Regional State Administration. They also blocked the Ustyluh-Lutsk-Rivne highway.
2019
Public hearings
Public hearings were held in Gorodok to discuss the environmental impact assessment of the Kronospan woodworking plant.
The regional authorities and investors signed a cooperation agreement
The press service of the Rivne regional administration posted an article about influential investors on the official website, which came to the Rivne region. In the article, the regional state administration officially announced the signing of a memorandum of cooperation with Kronospan.
Ecoclub received the first appeals from the community.
A resident of Rivne requested Ecoclub: she was concerned about the intentions of the future woodworking plant.
The company “Kronospan” announced its intentions to build a woodworking plant in Gorodok near Rivne
The company emphasizes the foreign approach of doing business and future foreign investments – 200 million euros.
The former head of the Rivne Regional State Administration signed a land sale order.
The order contained information about the sale of a land plot of 22.7462 ha for TECHNOPRIVID INVEST GROUP LLC for UAH 3,278,039.
