The First National Report on Conservation of Biological Diversity has prepared in accordance with the Resolution by and recommendations of the 2nd Conference of the Parties (Jakarta, Indonesia, November 1995) and covers the present status of Ukraine's responsibilities as described in Article 6 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) regarding measures for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
The biological diversity of Ukraine is the national heritage of our country. Thus, biodiversity conservation and sustainable use become priority issues of a national conservational policy and are necessary prerequisites for sustainable, balanced socioeconomic development of the country.
The former Soviet-style system of management of the national economy and environmental policy, which was dominant in Ukraine for almost the whole XX century, resulted in profound changes of landscapes and habitats. In particular, the area occupied by natural plant communities decreased to ca. 29% of the total territory of the country. Now the forested areas occupy ca. 14.3%, as compared to 45% at the beginning of the century. The steppe almost disappeared as a natural biome; hydrology of the territory dramatically changed as a result of construction of power-station dams on rivers, creation of huge water reservoirs ("artificial seas"), amelioration of mires, swamps and wetlands in the northern forest regions (Ukrainian Polissya) and irrigation of southern steppe territories. Other serious problems created include pollution of vast territories with such pollutants as heavy metals, radionuclides, stable organic compounds; devastation and synanthropization of ecosystems, etc. All this has led to the decline of genetic, coenotic and ecological diversity and stability while, at the same time, creating social and ecological discomfort for the local population.
Ukraine has a rich biota, which consists of more than 25,000 species of plants and fungi (including 5,100 vascular plants, more than 15 fungi and myxomycetes, more than 1,000 lichens, almost 800 mosses and ca. 4,000 algae) and 45,000 species of animals (more than 44,000 invertebrates, including more than 35,000 insects, about 3,500 other arthropods, 1,800 protozoans, 1,600 roundworms, 1,280 flatworms and 440 segmented worms; and vertebrates, including ca. 200 species of fish and lampreys, 17 amphibians, 21 reptiles, ca. 400 birds and 108 mammals). Some of these species are endemics and relicts.
Ratification of the Convention on Biological Diversity (hereafter, the Convention, or the Biodiversity Convention) by the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine on 29 November 1994 created a new impetus and momentum for further development of environmental and conservational activities, strengthening inter-agency and government-NGO cooperation at the national and local levels. It also promoted the international cooperation, involvement and participation of Ukraine in global environmental concerns and actions.
National activities in biodiversity conservation are based on the Constitution of Ukraine (adopted in 1996) and are implemented in accordance with the existing national legal basis (environmental and conservational legislation), international conventions ratified by Ukraine, as well as the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy.
On 12 May 1997, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, by its Decree No. 439, has approved the Concept (Strategy) for Conservation of Biological Diversity in Ukraine. In order to achieve the goals of the Concept, the National Action Plan for 1998--2015 is being developed. The main goals in this respect are the following:
For achieving the above goals, it will be necessary to implement and develop adequate legal, financial, organizational, scientific, educational and informational measures. Thus, the major aspects of biodiversity conservation activities are:
Financial resources for the program are payments, compensations and fees for using natural resources; funds of institutions and organizations; the State Budget of Ukraine; local and regional budgets, and some other sources. The organizational base for implementation of the Concept, through required measures and action plans, is the system of bodies of the Ministry for Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety, other ministries and agencies involved in conservation and use of natural resources. A well-developed system of research institutions, nature and biosphere reserves, national parks, botanical gardens, departments and chairs at educational institutions forms the scientific and educational base for implementation of environmental programs. Ukraine has all the necessary possibilities for successfully implementing the National Strategy, urgent and long-term action plans for conserving biological diversity. These plans are based on principles of sustainable development and balanced use of natural resources.
