CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION
Management of urban green areas as an element of adaptation to climate change in cities
A pilot project (2016) estimated how to manage green zones in a sustainable manner to ensure comfort living of citizens under “heat waves” which occur in every big city due to climate change. The project results have highlighted significant legislation gaps in urban green zones’ management, as it is both not systematized and not enough controlled in Ukraine. This knowledge and more project outputs could be useful for city planning and green zones renovation for existing districts in Ukraine. The main research results are published in the brochure “Adaptation to Climate Change: Urban Green Areas as Cooling Safeguards”.
The project realized under EU financial support (Climate Forum East II, National Ecological Centre of Ukraine) in cooperation with a scientific institution (State Centre for Aerospace Research of the Earth), and business (Drone.ua Ltd).
To see details you can download a bigger version:
https://goo.gl/QFMqvy%5B/caption%5D In April 2018 National Geographic Society supported a continuation of this project by providing an individual research grant to Oleksandra Khalaim, Head. Our super-team of young scientists represents key Ukrainian academic institutions: Dr. Taras Kazantsev from the Center for Aero-Space research of Earth of NASU, Dr. Oleksandr Polishchuk from Institute of Botany of NASU, and Olena Zabarna from National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Based on the research results, the recommendations will be developed both for urban Public Utility Companies about planting management and planning (species, density, types of greening etc.), and for local authorities on the legislation improvements. The results will be also highlighted for local communities to draw a completed picture of cause-effect links between CO2 emissions, climate change, and quality of their urban living.
You can follow the project on its Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CoolGreenKyiv/ The main project results are posted here as a text and video presentation.
ECOSCHOOL-FARMAK
PJSC “Farmak” in cooperation with NGO “Green Wave” in 2018-2019 created and conducted a series of extracurricular activities on eco-education for secondary and high school in the cities of Kyiv (10 schools of Podilskyi district) and Shostka (10 schools of the city). The project aims uniting the youth community of the city in order to promote an ecological lifestyle among young people and to enhance the culture of resource and energy conservation. The global goal is to replicate the project in all Ukrainian cities with the support of socially responsible local businesses. More about the project can be found in the publication here.
WHILE PLAYING CHANGE THE WORLD: ECOLOGICAL GAMES FOR YOUTH
Since 2010 Ecoclub actively participates in Ukrainian initiatives in the field of environmental education and ecological games for Education for Sustainability. Our projects include:
- Translation in Ukrainian and Russian, adaptation for student and school Ukrainian auditory and conducting a worldwide famous role game Fish Banks by Dr. Dennis Meadows (c). The translation and adaptation activities have been supported by NGOs Sendzimir Foundation (Warsaw) and Centre for System Solutions (Wroclaw) in 2010;
- March-August 2016 under the Climate Forum East II and NECU support jointly with NGO “Sweet Osvit” we have developed a handbook on climate change games “While Playing Change the World”. The training on games has been held for 40 teachers from all regions of Ukraine in the forum “Climate Education 2016” which we have organized on 10-12 August 2016 in Kyiv.
- Development and promotion of new ecological games in Ukraine:
- In 2015 under the SGP GEF in cooperation with the all-Ukrainian initiative “Education for Sustainable Development”, Ecoclub has developed a new school board game “Future Green City” for 8-12 years old children who are aware of making more sustainable their living environment.
- Participation in the training presentation of the climate game “Keep Cool” organized by NGOs MitOst, Activeco, EcoVisio and Theodor-Heuss-Kolleg with the support of British Council in Ukraine.
- Popularization in Ukraine the climate negotiation game “Keep Cool“, aiming to develop and conduct at least 5 trainings for multipliers on the game in 3 Ukrainian cities (Kiev, Poltava, and Lviv) by addressing organizations of both formal and non-formal education; to disseminate the board game (at least 40 educators covered); to assist in improving the online version of the game “Keep Cool Mobil”. The project is a part of the international initiative on “Keep Cool” popularization in the Eastern Europe (Republic of Moldova, Romania and Ukraine), leading by NGO “Ecovisio” (Moldova) in 2018-2019 with financial support of Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU).
International Climate Movement 350.org in Ukraine
All-Ukrainian Network of young ecological leaders for climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Our joint projects:
- Since October 2016 Ecoclub has joined the initiative “Cities for life” as a coordinator of the 6-months project “Kyiv – City for Life”. The initiative foresees the development of local Climatic Strategies to reduce GHG emissions in 3 cities: Kyiv (Ukraine), Saints Petersburg (Russia), and Mogilev (Belorussia). At the moment we actively collaborate with Kyiv City Council (Department of Urban Beautification and Preservation of the Environment) under implementation the climate change adaptation measures in the current urban legislation.
- Among other projects: in the MOVING PLANET flash-dance with the demand to stop the rise of CO2 emissions in 2011, Power Shift Forum under EcoFest2011, and other.
NATURE INTERPRETATION IMPLEMENTATION IN UKRAINE
To implement the nature interpretation in Ukraine, we aim:
- Strengthening capacities of protected areas and nature museums (the development of Ukrainian guides’ professionalism who held excursions and organize guide tours in protected areas, botanical gardens, zoos and nature museums).
- Formation of cohort/association for nature interpretation in Ukraine (a platform for cooperation and positive experience exchanges in the field of nature interpretation; the mailing list of protected areas of the Ministry of Ecology, Ukrainian Network of Conservation Educators and Practitioners (UNCEP), which was created in 2013 by Green Wave).
In 2016- 2017 project activities have covered 21 regions of Ukraine, including: 40 parks and reserves; 6 museums; 3 botanical gardens; a zoo; 6 universities and research institutions and 10 NGOs. The number of qualified interpretive guides was increased by 119 members, among which there are 40 men and 79 women. The project is supported by US Forest Service. The 2017 report is available here.
ECOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Since 2010 Ecoclub is a member of UN Global Compact, participating in the working group on the natural environment. We provide expert support to Ukrainian businesses on the incorporation the “Green Office” principles, the estimation of effectiveness of nature-protection actions, ensuring the dialogue between active society and green businesses. Also, we provide the analysis of carbon footprint of goods and events for interested businesses, informing our partners about the latest news in the field.
BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION
In 2010 Ecoclub in cooperation with the Regional Landscape Park “Myzhrichenskyi” has developed the ecological trail “Zhuravlynna” on the territory of the park. 4 ecological schools have been carried out for all environmental activists.
COMMON INITIATIVES
Earth Day
Each year in April we join the international event aimed resources and energy saving propaganda. The student branch of Ecoclub organizes a party for Kyiv-Mohyla Academy students to involve them in a sustainable way of living, vegan diet, sorting waste and other.
GreenDrinks
Green Drinks initiative means frequent meetings of ecological activists, potential employers and employees, volunteers and NGOs, decision-makers and society members, for discussion on sustainability and ecological issues in an informal environment.
The information on the next meetings is available on the Facebook page of the initiative.
GOLDEN STANDARD FOR PROJECTS ON REDUCING THE GHG EMISSIONS
Ecoclub is a member of the international network of non-governmental organizations that support the Golden Standard for projects on reducing the GHG emissions. Ecoclub can supervise and check the project compliance with the standards during public revisions. With further questions, please contact Anna Vilde, anna.vilde[at]gmail.com +38 097 5161160