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INFLUENCE OF PUBLIC ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS ON NUCLEAR ENERGY IN UKRAINE

V. Mykhailov, G. Taranenko, Olena Isakova, L. Shlieina, P. Butskyi

Abstract

The scientific article is based on a wide range of sources ? archival documents, publications of periodicals, Internet materials. The influence of public environmental associations on the functioning of atomic energy in Ukraine, for example, the 1980s - 2010s, is analyzed. The catastrophe at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in April 1986 became the impetus for the mass formation of non-governmental environmental public organizations in Ukraine, which at that time was part of the USSR. An important vector of activity of the first environmental societies was the anti-nuclear movement, during which the struggle was held to stop the construction of new and increase the capacity of existing nuclear power plants. The Green World Association, whose cells were located in almost all major cities of Ukraine, was actively involved in issues of energy and nuclear safety. The Crimean Association ?Ecology and Peace? appears as a reaction of the population to the beginning of the construction of the Crimean NPP. To provide social and legal protection for the victims of the Chernobyl accident, the All-Ukrainian public organization ?Chernobyl Union of Ukraine? was created. At the initial stage of the existence of the ?greens,? the most common forms of their activity were rallies, mass protests, the collection of signatures on the prohibition and termination of illegal actions. Green societies received widespread support from the population, but at the same time came into confrontation with the party leadership. Under pressure from public associations, the Council of Ministers of the USSR in 1989 decided to stop the construction of the Crimean NPP, the 4th reactor of the South Ukrainian NPP and reservoirs on the South Bug River. With the declaration of independence of Ukraine, a new stage in social and political life began, for which the absence of state control over social movements became characteristic. Since 1992, the legal status of public organizations was determined by the Law of Ukraine ?On the Association of Citizens?. The relevance of nuclear issues in Ukraine is due to the functioning of five nuclear power plants on its territory: Zaporizhzhya, Khmelnitsky, Rivne, South Ukraine and Chernobyl (until 2000). The main environmental societies that dealt with nuclear energy issues were the National Ecological Center of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Nuclear Society, Greenpeace-Ukraine, the Ukrainian Ecological Association Green World, the All-Ukrainian Ecological League, Ecoclub and others. The environmental movement is moving from the stage of protests and objections to pragmatic alternatives. Public organizations are becoming a link between government bodies, industry specialists and society. Ecological societies initiate appeals to the highest authorities and state specialized institutions. With the participation of the Greens, actions are being taken to inform the public about the current radiation situation at nuclear facilities, the development of alternative types of energy, and the problem of nuclear waste disposal. An important area of activity of public associations was participation in environmental assessments and hearings, scientific conferences. In particular, proposals were made to a document of national significance ?Energy Strategy of Ukraine until 2030?.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2020/5.1/s20.057

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