A climate change adaptation plan has been drawn up in Mykolaiv: it has yet to be approved

A climate change adaptation plan has been drawn up in Mykolaiv. File photo: NikVesti

A draft plan for the city community’s adaptation to climate change has been prepared in Mykolaiv. The document is currently undergoing the approval process, and public consultations must be held before it is submitted to the city council for consideration.

This is stated in the response from the Executive Committee of Mykolaiv City Council to an enquiry from NikVesti.

The plan is being developed as part of the international project «Strengthening Local Capacity to Respond to Climate Change in the Black Sea Basin» (LAP BLACK). According to the city council, no funds from the budget of the Mykolaiv City Territorial Community were spent on paying for the services involved in drafting the document.

A working group was set up to coordinate work on the Plan. It comprises representatives of the city council’s executive bodies, departments of the regional military administration, the academic community and civil society organisations.

Experts from the international LAP BLACK project were also involved in drafting the document.

During the preparation of the Plan, a strategic environmental assessment was carried out, along with public consultations on the document and the corresponding report. The City Council is currently preparing for public hearings at which a draft resolution on the approval of the Plan is to be discussed.

«Once the procedure for approving the draft resolution has been completed in accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the Mykolaiv City Council of the 8th convocation and the public hearings have been held, the Plan will be submitted to the City Council session for consideration and the adoption of the relevant resolution,» the document states.

Response from the Mykolaiv City Council to the enquiry NikVesti

Response from the Mykolaiv City Council to the enquiry NikVesti

Response from the Mykolaiv City Council to the request NikVesti

It was previously reported that the development of Mykolaiv’s Climate Change Adaptation Plan is in its final stages. The main analytical section has already been completed, and the document is currently undergoing internal consultation.

In addition, as part of the preparation of the Plan, an online survey was conducted, in which 1,448 residents took part. The data obtained is being taken into account when drawing up the final list of measures in the Plan.

The survey revealed that Mykolaiv residents believe the city’s climate has changed noticeably, with half of those surveyed stating that these changes have only become apparent over the last 3–5 years. Residents have begun to experience deteriorating health more frequently.

Almost 60 per cent of respondents reported headaches, weakness and insomnia during periods of heatwaves and air pollution. A further 40 per cent reported exacerbations of allergies, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.

It is also worth noting that climate change and a critical decline in the water balance could render half of the country’s agricultural land unsuitable for cultivation. By 2050, the drought zone will cover millions of hectares.