Participated in the Working Group Meeting on the Development of Eco-Standards in HMA
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), with the support of the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, the Office for Mine Action under the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), held a stakeholder consultation meeting on the development of an environmental standard for humanitarian demining in Ukraine.
The key task identified by participants was the return of land to its intended use — agricultural fields, forests, water bodies, pastures, etc. — while preserving biodiversity as much as possible and minimizing the impact on the climate.
International experts noted that Ukraine is currently a leader in developing environmental standards for demining. For example, Vietnam, which has been engaged in demining for decades, has only recently begun developing such documents.
An analysis of existing international and national standards revealed significant differences in approaches and legal frameworks, which poses challenges for synchronizing methodologies and requirements.
Representatives of HMA (Humanitarian Mine Action) operators emphasized several key points:
- It is necessary to differentiate between standards related to demining itself (neutralization of explosive ordnance) and those concerning land reclamation resulting from contamination (e.g., oil spills).
- Standards must be realistic and feasible for HMA operators to implement.
- They should be divided into categories: mandatory, possible, and desirable.
UDS was represented in the working group by Andrii Lukianchenko, Environmental Safety Specialist in Demining.
💬 “Mine action operators work at the edge of profitability,” noted Andrii Lukianchenko. “Therefore, imposing on them the obligation to fully reclaim land — for instance, after oil product contamination — is impractical. Our task is to clear territories of explosive ordnance with minimal environmental impact, and then give scientists and ecologists the opportunity to restore soil fertility and biodiversity.”
The meeting became an important step toward creating comprehensive environmental standards for humanitarian demining, combining international experience and Ukrainian realities.
It is worth noting that all UDS processes are certified according to the DSTU 8820:2025 standard, which confirms the high level of safety, quality, and responsibility in humanitarian demining operations.
UDS will continue to support initiatives aimed at improving efficiency, environmental safety, and the sustainable recovery of Ukrainian territories.