Добро пожаловать!
Stop the global climate change!
Ukrainian NGO Climate Change Working Group
E-mail:infotour@ukr.net
Press release
November 1, 2002
During October 1 - 14th the Ukrainian NGO Working Group on Climate Change was conducting the "Stop Global Climate Change" public awareness tour. The tour went from Kiev to Khmelnitsky through such cities as Cherkasy, Dniprodzerzhynsk, Donetsk, Enakievo, Artemivsk, Kriviy Rig, and Rivne.
The main purpose of the tour was to provide information to the general Ukrainian public about such an important problem as global climate change. During the course of the tour, the participants have been demonstrating simple measures that can save energy and result in reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, which is the main cause of global climate change. Such measures involve routine behavior change and can be implemented by an average person in Ukraine.
Over 10 environmental organizations, who are members of the Ukrainian NGO Working Group on Climate Change, have participated in organization of the tour events. A non-government organization "The Voice of Nature", based in Dniprodzerzhynsk, was the tour coordinator.
The most attractive tour event was the opening of an art exposition, dedicated to highlighting threats posed by global climate change. The exposition included photos, information materials, and demonstration materials from various projects aimed at energy conservation and climate change mitigation.
The global climate change problem did not gain sufficient attention of government officials and general public in Ukraine so far. However, climate change could have serious impact on Ukraineъs environment, including, in particular, an increased number and severity of floods and droughts in the country. Scientists believe that growing volumes of what is referred to as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions cause changes in earth climate. GHG emissions are generally associated with industrial and agricultural production processes and electricity generation.
The tour organizers' intent was to inform the Ukraineъs public about investment opportunities rising from the development of projects aimed at climate change mitigation. The Kyoto Protocol (Protocol), one of the major climate change international agreements. Yevgen Kolishevsky, Executive Director of "The Voice of Nature", emphasized that through investments in energy conservation projects Ukraine can save its scarce energy resources and also protect earth climate from irreversible damaging changes in climate patterns.
The tour results include the following:
- 5 000 Ukrainians signed а petition to the Ukrainian government demanding ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, introduction of new, energy saving technologies, development of renewable energy sources, and protection of Ukraineъs forests;
- Citizens were informed about the impact of global climate change on Ukraine;
- Environmental Ngos have formed new alliances among the Ukrainian public;
- Representatives form Ukrainian cities that were not included in the present tour, have invited the tour organizers to hold similar events in their regions;
- A number of Ngos had expressed interest in becoming members of the Ukrainian NGO Climate Change Working Group.
The 'Stop Global Climate Change!' action gave an opportunity to environmentally conscious Ukrainians to obtain informative materials about the global climate change problem and related mitigation measures.
The tour organizer, Ukrainian NGO Working Group on Climate Change, called upon the GOU and the Ukrainian public to support the demands put forward by the tour participants and take measures to stop global climate change by both undertaking regulatory and legislative actions and developing and implementing individual projects.
This is time to act! There is not time to waste!
For additional information please contact the coordinators of ‘Stop global climate change!’ public awareness tour Yevgen Kolishevsky +380 (05692) 94449 or Natalka Vyshnevska +380 50 545 59 28 (mobile); +380 44 238 62 60; e-mail: infotour@ukr.net.