In 2008, the British Council initiated a project, joining the European contingent of a broader global effort focused on overcoming the problem of carbon emissions and monitoring climate change. This campaign strives to provide the impetus for a concrete and enduring momentum shift in the fight against climate change, and its participants are driven by an ambitious goal: hastening the arrival of a future free from carbon emissions.
The European project against carbon emissions is committed to taking every necessary measure in order to overcome the most pressing, global issue facing humanity: global climate change. During this singular moment in history, this generation has been handed the challenge of uniting around this vital assignment: the search for effective answers to the climatic crisis.
On 4 June 2009, the eve of World Environment Day, at the National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy, a new resource and information centre for climate change-related information was opened: Climateinfo. The centre owes its existence to a cooperative project of the Environmental Sciences faculty of the University and the British Council Ukraine ‘Challenge Europe’ project.
The Centre’s objectives are:
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increasing both the level of knowledge and the social awareness of climate change by the assembly, organization and dissemination of issue-related information |
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creating direct lines of contact with state, private, scientific, profit and non-profit organizations and agencies, as well as the mass-media, to facilitate free-exchange of information and experience and promote mutually-beneficial collaboration in the sphere of climate protection |
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assisting and supporting climate protection-related activities. |
In order to equip the climate change Information Centre with ready access to scientifically relevant resources, prominent, civically responsible Ukrainian authorities in the fields of hydrometeorology and environmental protection have formed an ‘Advisory Council’ to assist the Centre. On 2 July 2009, the Advisory Council held its first session, exchanging perspectives related to the issue of climate change that is occurring on both the local and international levels, and discussing the organisation of the Centre’s planned educational activities.
Among those who spoke, the Director of the State Hydrometeorological Department of Ukraine, Mr. Vyacheslav Lipinskiy, underlined that climate change is a sadly incontestable reality which impacts negatively, often ruinously so, the environment both in Ukraine and around the globe. Climate change is the most serious long-term threat to the safe and balanced development of the planet’s ecosystem, and to humankind. Considering the gravity and urgency of the problem of climate change, Ukrainian society has significant need of an effective and comprehensive information resource covering the subject and its impact on our world and ourselves. Guidance in the appropriate and effective response and adaptation to the effects of climate change is also needed. The consolidation of governmental, scientific, educational, civil and international efforts related to this work is of essential importance, and the newly-formed Information Centre will function in this role.
From now on, the Center’s work will be guided and reinforced by relevant analysis contributed from qualified experts – scientists, state and public figures. As a result of the Advisory Council’s involvement, the Centre can now serve everyone with an interest in this topic: students, instructors, public organizations, journalists, and businesses, and the like.
Also the Centre has plans to conduct a comprehensive and scientific analysis of the state of climate change in Ukraine and issue its own evaluations of the current situation as well as its recommendations.
Yulia Makliuk
Mobile +380 (97) 144 0312
j.mcluck@gmail.com
www.climateinfo.org.ua
National University Kyiv Mohyla Academy
Building 3, Room 211
2 Skovordy Street
Kyiv
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