The first Ukrainian “Coal Camp” for activists of Donetsk and Lugansk regions took place from 12 to 15 August 2021 in the city of Sviatohirsk, Donetsk region.
The event aimed to gather together like-minded people who care about the fate of their own communities and who are ready to build a clean and carbon-free future for their region.
The burning of coal is the main cause of climate change, the effects of which we are already feeling. The use of this fuel is harmful to the health of the local population living near coal mines/power plants, as well as to the environment due to soil deformation, water pollution, the formation of waste heaps, etc.
At the same time, in recent years, Ukrainian government has stated the need to build new facilities at Sloviansk TPP with the backing from the Chinese investors, which is completely contrary to Ukraine’s international obligations and threatens the global fight against the climate crisis.
During the camp, participants learned about decarbonisation trends and the need to phase-out fossil fuels, the negative impact of coal generation on health and the environment, and the current processes of just transition.
In addition to the theoretical part, the invited speakers Iryna Chernysh (NGO SaveDnipro) and Pavlo Vyshebaba (NGO Unique Planet) shared their own experience, deepened the basic knowledge of the participants about camping and helped to develop potential ideas for joint activities.
The first Ukrainian “Coal Camp” was jointly organized by the Representation of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Ukraine, NGO Ecoaction and the Center for Civil Society “Drukarnia” (Sloviansk).