Platform for Sustainable Development

Ukraine, Donetsk oblast

Platform for Sustainable Development

In May 2019, mayors of six coal monotowns in Donetsk Oblast, three non-governmental organizations from the region, and the Donetsk Chamber of Commerce and Industry united in Platform for Sustainable Development of Coal Towns. Now the Platform includes nine towns.

Areas of Activity

Renewable Energy

Realization of renewable energy projects is one of the solutions for the climate crisis, an opportunity to improve local economic development, and a gear of grid decentralization at the local level.

For this purpose, the Platform has elaborated projects of setting solar power plants at municipal buildings’ roofs. More about them at UAMAP website.

Education & Innovations

Education and innovation development is the guarantee for sustainable future of the region. It may include establishing new educational institutions, centres for research and innovations at regional and local levels, as well as changing curriculums and converting existing secondary and the higher schools, vocational technical educational institutions in particular.

Platform towns together with representatives of local educational institutions elaborate curriculums for professions in demand at the labour market.

Environmental Protection

Coal mining is a process which negatively affects the environment and public health. For instance, shaft waters management is a common problem for Platform towns, which can cause severe ecologic consequences (soil pollution, underground and ground water reservoirs contamination, etc.), if not settled.

Platform for Sustainable Development considers and processes two perspective variants of shaft waters management:
– refining and using them as industrial water, or even potentially supplying it through water system; – using them for heat generation.

Development Strategy

Strategic view and systematic regional planning is the key to just transition of mining regions.

During 2020–2021, thanks to support of international and Ukrainian partners, the Platform has been developing its own transformation strategy — the first-of-a-kind document in the coal region in Ukraine. It will include strategic goals, concrete objectives and ideas for potential projects.

Relying on experience

Platform’s Focus

for just transition

Partnership

Collaboration with coal towns and regions from the very beginning of any transformational process. Local needs, interests, and responsibility of the coal towns’ communities themselves and their regions must be on the first place.

Strategy

Accurate planning and setting specific dates for closing down unprofitable coal mines and phasing out coal usage. Lack of clear understanding of one’s own coal-mining enterprises’ future creates an obstacle for planning transformation of particular towns and gradual re-orientation of local economies.

Pilot Projects

Realization of pilot projects in the localities and diversification of the local economy. Special programmes, funds, and conditions to facilitate small-to-medium business development in mining towns and regions should be created to diversify the economy.

Education

Education development may include establishing new educational institutions, centres for research and innovations at regional and local levels, as well as changing curriculums and converting existing vocational technical educational institutions.

Employment

Job retraining and social protection of fired miners. Special employment and job retraining programmes will help to relax tension among local residents who fear losing their jobs, incomes, and social benefits.

Environment

Environmental security for the population is the responsibility of all entities. Operation and especially closure of mines induces and escalates a number of environmental issues connected with pollution of ground and underground water reservoirs, soils, shaft waters pumpdown, etc.

News and events

All News

Towns of the Platform

Vuhledar is the administrative centre of the Vuhledar Urban United Territorial Community created on the grounds of the Vuhledar Town Council Resolution of 11.10.2019 № 7/48-1 “On Voluntary Joining of Pavlivka Village Territorial Community, Pavlivka Village Council, Donetsk Oblast, to the Vuhledar Town Territorial Community, Donetsk Oblast” and Vuhledar Town Council Resolution of 11.10.2019 № 7/48-2 “On Voluntary Joining of Territorial Communities of the Villages of Berezove, Vodiane, Solodke, Stepne, Taramchuk, Stepne Village Council, Maryinka Raion, Donetsk Oblast to Vuhledar Town Territorial Community, Donetsk Oblast”. As a result of this unification, 6 rural communities joined the town of Vuhledar.

Dobropillia is the administrative centre of the Dobropillia Urban United Territorial Community (UTC), a modern and developed mining town of oblast significance. Dobropillia Urban United Territorial Community was created by the Dobropillia Town Council Resolution №7/42-1 of 18.04.2018. Dobropillia Urban UTC is located in the northwestern part of Donetsk Oblast in the steppe zone on the left bank of the Byk River (the Dnieper Basin).

Myrnohrad is the town of oblast significance located in the steppe zone of the southeastern part of Ukraine, southwestern from Donets Ridge. Two settlements belong to Myrnohrad Town Council, namely Myrnohrad itself and the village of Svitle.

The town of Pokrovsk is located in the western part of Donetsk Oblast (“Western Gates of Donbas”), on the Gryshynka River. Pokrovsk is the centre of the same name raion, a town of oblast significance.

Novohrodivka is a town of oblast significance. It used to be subordinated administratively to Selydove Town Council and it has been bound tightly with economy of Selydove. Novohrodivka is located 50 km to the northwest from the oblast centre Donetsk, 7 km from Selydove and 3 km from Grodivka railway station. The Solonenka River, the tributary of the Solona River, springs from the vicinity of the town.

This town of oblast significance stands on the Solona River. The list of settlements belonging to the Selydove Town Council: Selydove — 22222 residents, Girnyk Town — 10686 residents, Ukrainsk Town — 11093 residents, Kurakhivka Urban-Type Settlement — 2722 residents, Tsukuryne Urban-Type Settlement — 1803 residents, Hostre Urban-Type Settlement — 518 residents, Komyshivka Urban-Type Settlement — 371 resident, Vyshneve Urban-Type Settlement — 252 resident.