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Project Rationale
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Project Rationale
The Dnipro River is a trans-boundary system: 20% of its
basin lies in the territory of the Russian Federation, 23% – in the Republic of
Belarus and the largest part – 55% – in Ukraine. The significance of the river reaches beyond
the three riparian countries as it flows into an international water body – the
Black Sea.
On July 1, 1996 the environmental ministers of three countries (Belarus, Russia and Ukraine) met in Helsinki to sign a joint statement declaring their respective countries’ commitment to contribute resources and take part in the development and implementation of the Dnipro Basin Environmental Program. That document testified to the regional governments’ political will to fulfill their obligations and cooperate in meeting common objectives.
In view of the above, the analysis and subsequent improvement of the legislative framework and institutional capacity of each of the three member-countries in the sphere of preserving biodiversity in the Dnipro Basin, as well as a further harmonization of the three countries’ national environmental legislations seem to be high on the agenda.
This project was designed on the basis of national reports “Review of the Legislative and Regulatory Frameworks of the Republic of Belarus Regarding the Protection of Biodiversity in the Dnipro Basin and the Public Involvement in Environmental Activities”, “Analysis of the Legislation of the Russian Federation Regulating the Practices of Preserving Biodiversity in the Dnipro Basin” and “Review of the Legislative and Regulatory Frameworks of Ukraine Relating to the Protection of Biodiversity in the Dnipro Basin”, and implemented in accordance with the schedule and plan of activities under Project 5.2 of the UNDP-GEF Dnipro Basin Environment Program. It also embraces the materials of the International RTC Work Meeting held on April 22-23, 2002 in Minsk and of the Third International Work Meeting of the Biodiversity RTC that took place in Kharkiv on October 23-24, 2002.
In the course of the Project, general and environmental legislation of the member-countries on biodiversity conservation was studied with a special focus on the legal instruments regulating the use and protection of individual natural systems and sub-systems (fauna, flora, water bodies), protection and preservation of endangered species and critical ecosystems, natural reserve areas in the basin territory.
Based on the research findings, recommendations were developed concerning the improvement and harmonization of the national legislations of the Republic of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine.
