Storchylo M.O.

National University of Food Technology, Ukraine

Comparable analysis of environmental audit process in national parks of European Union countries and Ukraine

The aim of the paper is to study the process of environmental audit of National Parks in both European Union countries and Ukraine. Compare EU practice with Ukrainian experience. Then, taking into consideration the best practices of EU and all the gaps of auditing process in Ukraine, give recommendations how to improve Ukrainian auditing system, particularly in the National Parks.

First of all it should be noted that environmental audit is a long-established tool that is commonly used to evaluate and monitor financial and production performance of the implementation of environmental audit. It has been begun in EU from 1970 and since that time it has being affected by different factors: politician will, public pressure, competitiveness in business [1,2]. And with the help of them it has been evaluated and improved. In recent years, the audit tool has been adapted to workplace environmental programs, systems and practices to evaluate their effectiveness and to identify deficiencies that require corrective action. Now, the environmental audit in EU that is conducted in National Parks is a very developed and enhanced system of checking and control on environment.

Unlike developed and optimized auditing system in EU, Ukraine has the only law about environmental audit issued in 2004[3]. With a low rate, year by year, factories and plants perceive the necessity of conducting environmental audit. Despite some evaluation steps, which environmental audit takes in the field of Ukrainian National Parks as well is not popular at all. This is a problem that needs to be solved.

In order to find the best solution to raise awareness of environmental audit in National Parks, we’ve made an analysis of auditing process in such European Countries as Slovakia and Poland. These countries, especially Poland, are very close to Ukraine.

There were selected and analysed several problem stages on which environmental audit in National Parks is conducted. There are the most problem issues: [4]

- Legal aspects of wildlife conservation in national parks;

- Planning conservation measures ;

- Environmental monitoring ;

- Land ownership in national parks ;

- Financial compensations for limited use of land ;

- Financing wildlife conservation in national parks ;

- Forest management versus wildlife conservation requirements ;

- Hunting in the area of borderland national parks ;

- Making national parks available to scientific research ;

- Cooperation between national parks and self-government entities with regard to physical development planning;

- Access to national parks;

- Cooperation between borderland parks.

Thus proceeding from these main stages and European environmental audit practice we can give some recommendations of Ukraine environmental audit improving [1,2].

- Development and implementation of a National Park System (NPS) audit protocol that is unique to NPS facilities and operations. The protocol will be designed for an internal audit function and wide-ranging staff experience and expertise.

- Develop a comprehensive environmental policy with wide internal and external participation. Use policy development as a consensus building exercise for key stakeholders at all levels.

- Include environmental policy in staff and stakeholder education. Make sure message gets out through periodic and management supported promotion (e.g. brochure, contract language, awareness training, web page, posted document).

- Develop Park Strategic Environmental Management Plans, and establish internal management review program and conduct periodic evaluation (e.g. annual).

- Creating of audit guidelines based on International bodies’ recommendations. Development of audit criteria for evaluating management support for environmental programs at the park-unit level.

- Seek ways to integrate compliance issues into other environmental or green initiatives. Compliance of national legislative with international law and Conventions.

- Control reinforcement on environmental audit conducting;

- Explore the possibility of mentoring another organization.

References:

1. Evolution and Trends in Environmental Auditing. INTOSAI Working Group on Environmental Auditing (WGEA). 2007.

2. An Environmental Management System Review of the National Park Service: Based on the Code of Environmental Management Principles. USA EPA. 2000.

3. Закон України «Про екологічний аудит» від 24.06.2004 № 1862-IV.

4. National Parks in Polish-Slovak Border Area Audit Report. Supreme Audit Institutions of Poland and Slovakia. 2006.