Cabinet of Ministers approved the Marine Conservation Strategy

The document is extremely important for the implementation of the approaches of the European Union legislation in the field of protection and use of the marine environment of Ukraine.

The Strategy introduces the provisions of the EU Framework Directive on Maritime Strategy into Ukrainian legislation. This is provided for in the environmental block of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU.

The Marine Conservation Strategy defines:

– the main principles of the state marine environmental policy for the period up to 2034;

– mechanisms for achieving and maintaining a “good” ecological condition of the Azov and Black Seas.

“Due to the pollution of the Azov-Black Sea basin, imbalance in economic activity and the negative impact of climate change, the state of marine ecosystems is deteriorating. This requires systemic solutions and new approaches to the management of the seas. The EU countries have established a clear mechanism for the sustainable management of the marine environment – the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Now Ukraine is moving along this path,” commented Roman Abramovsky, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine.

Among the main objectives of the strategy:

– creation and implementation of marine national action plans to achieve and maintain a “good” ecological state of the Azov and Black Seas for a six-year period;

– implementation of the program of state ecological monitoring of the seas of Ukraine;

– development and implementation of plans for integrated management of coastal areas of the Azov and Black Seas.