Environmental issues in the post-communist Ukraine

The Ukraine, which gained independence in 1991, faces serious problems related to environmental degradation. Environmental problems contribute to a deterioration in human health and a negative trend in population growth. Both form part of a raft of socio-economic problems encountered during the country’s transition to a free market economy. The most serious problems are found in cities and areas near the Black and Azov Seas, the Dnipro river basin and in the Polissya region. This paper provides an overview of the situation. Social and managerial implications of environmental management are considered alongside associated environmental and human health problems in the country. It is concluded that a desired change in the mindset of policy makers and, indeed, the population at large, is required in parallel with legal and technocratic instruments, while real improvements can only be achieved through economic development, which can be facilitated by Western assistance.