At the end of October, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine organized a Press Tour and workshop on environmental journalism “Environmental Safety and Armed Conflict. What is happening and how to write / film / tell about it”. The event took place from 29 to 31 October 2019 in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, in the framework of the project "Assistance in the Donbas environmental monitoring system expansion" collaborated by the Zoï Environment Network and with the participation of the weekly WOZ Die Wochenzeitung (Switzerland). Iryna Nikolaieva, head of Ecoplatform, OSCE consultant, provided professional support in environmental safety issues of Donbas enterprises.

On the first day of the press tour, 15 journalists, bloggers and activists from around the country discussed with experts the environmental issues under armed conflict and how to write about environmental safety and military operations and other non-standard situations. Representatives of international and Ukrainian publications - Susan Boos and Oleh Lystopad, national and international environmental experts - Dmytro Averin, Nikolai Denisov and Iryna Nikolaieva worked with press tour participants.

 While presenting the current OSCE project activities on environmental safety in eastern Ukraine, Iryna Nikolaieva spoke about Donbas TMFs, main potential environmental threats during the operation of such facilities under the military actions.

The next day, media representatives together with experts visited the automated air monitoring post in Kramatorsk. It is the part of Ukraine’s first automated environmental monitoring system in Donetsk region and meets the requirements of EU Directives (2008/50/EC and 2004/107/EC).

The next stop was the Kleban-Byk regional landscape park, that suffered from military actions - fortifications construction, deforestation, forest and steppe fires.

©Photo: Kostiantyn Chernichkyn (OSCE)

After the picturesque landscapes, journalists and environmentalists visited the Avdiivka Coke Plant. Participants got acquainted with the everyday life of this front-line enterprise and learned about environmental risks and waste management issues of chemical production under military actions.

Environmental threats in the conflict-affected area - a topic issue interesting everyone. Therefore, professional media coverage of such issue is extremely relevant today, - said Iryna Nikolaieva.

After the press tour journalists are preparing news stories and publications on Donbas environmental problems:

Video of Ukrainian national channel ICTV
Publication of the Donbas regional portal "Donetsk news"

Materials of the information and analytical publication "GreenPost"

©Photo: Kostiantyn Chernichkyn (OSCE)