Sustainable Economic Growth in Ukraine.
Addressing the Environmental Challenges.

Mariupol, 19-21 September 2006

CONFERENCE THEMES

The central theme of the Conference was establishing multi-sectoral partnerships to realize Goal 3 of Ukraine's Millennium Development Goals, ensure environmental sustainability and to inform national development of Ukraine's National Environmental Strategy.

  Partnership and Co-operation

  Establishing a multi-stakeholder forum of Government, Industry and Civil Society to determine social and environmental priorities for sustainable development

  Setting environmental targets for pollution prevention and control through dialogue between regulatory agencies, industry and civil society

  Ensuring fair and effective implementation of environmental laws and regulations through co-operation between the State legislature and the judiciary

  Bringing about greater transparency and accountability in the provision and management of health, education, water, waste and industry services through citizen's participation in municipal decision making

  Promoting environmental responsibility and demonstrating the financial advantages of community sensitive environmental through Chambers of Commerce to member companies.

CONFERENCE FOCUS

Essential for the realisation of Ukraine's Millennium Development Goals are government commitment to the principles of sustainable development, the strengthening of her legal institutions and the democratization of health and environment policy decision making.

The Conference focused on multi-sectoral dialogue in three main areas as a strategy to foster a partnership approach to these aspects of Ukraine's economic and social development:

 Business in the Environment

 Implementing legislation

 Citizen's participation in local decision making

National and local government, industry and civil society organisations, together with international experts offered perspectives and experiences for constructive analysis in order to identify effective approaches to enlarging multi-sectoral dialogue in a Ukrainian context.

Group discussions and facilitated participatory workshops were aimed at fostering the basis for new and renewed collaboration aimed at sustainable economic growth.