Contents

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Foreword

Donetsk at first sight Four minutes past midnight

Te nature of Donbas The other face of Donbas Photographs by Alban Kakulya

Industry and its footprint Death by suffocation There is coal but no happiness Waste tips need flowers

Mining for a better environment References

Tis publication was initiated by the Environment and Security Initiative (ENV- SEC), a partnership between UNDP, UNEP, OSCE, NATO, UNECE and REC.

Tis report was produced within the framework of Assessment and Capacity- Building for Managing Environment and Security Risks in Donbas and Salihorsk regions, a UNEP-led ENV SEC project implemented in Ukraine and Belarus to address environmental risk from hazardous activities, and improve envi- ronmental management and awareness. Project activities included technical as- sessments, training and analysis of min- ing sites, but also workshops and train- ing sessions for journalists to build up their communication skills on environ- mental topics relevant to their region. Tis publication presents the findings and results of both parts of the project. It offers an introduction to the issues fac- ing the Donetsk region, mainly focusing on environmental challenges. Te text is complemented by media stories written by journalists from Belarus and Ukraine

who participated in the media train- ing organized by ENVSEC. Te articles featured here were produced during the workshops and have been published in various media across the region.

In addition, this report presents the findings of the ENVSEC risk assess- ment analysis, Risk Assessment Consid- erations in the Donetsk Basin – Mine Closure and Spoil Dumps, highlighting the need for solid risk assessment and the potential sources of risk associ- ated with mining activities in Donetsk. Based on these findings, an action plan is proposed suggesting how these issues can be addressed by decision-makers and practitioners alike.

Tis publication uses original pho- tographs by Alban Kakulya taken in Donetsk in May 2010.

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