Call for Proposals: Enhancing Environmental Resilience and Recovery in Ukraine

Enhancing Environmental Resilience in Ukraine is critical to addressing the impacts of war, including hazardous waste, chemical pollution, and asbestos contamination. This call for proposals seeks innovative solutions to strengthen Ukraine’s environmental recovery, focusing on sustainable practices and stakeholder collaboration. For detailed submission guidelines, visit africatraininginstitute.org.

Objective: Enhancing Environmental Resilience in Ukraine

To solicit project proposals for Enhancing Environmental Resilience in Ukraine by improving capacity in managing hazardous waste, assessing risks to human and environmental health from contaminated sites, and developing environmental standards for demining operations.

Project Background

The ongoing war in Ukraine has caused widespread destruction in its northern, eastern, and southeastern regions, resulting in significant debris accumulation and damage to industrial sites. As of January 2025, over 3,000 incidents at hazardous facilities have been reported, and more than 250,000 buildings were destroyed by January 2024. Asbestos, recently banned in Ukraine, is prevalent in over 70% of residential and public building roofs, posing severe health risks. Industrial and agricultural activities, combined with conflict-related releases of hazardous substances like oil, petroleum products, volatile organic compounds, metals, and specialty chemicals, have further degraded air, water, and soil quality. Additionally, approximately 138,503 km² of land and 14,000 km² of water are at risk of contamination from explosive remnants and landmines, making Ukraine one of the most heavily contaminated regions since World War II. The absence of environmental standards for demining exacerbates risks to soil, water, vegetation, and wildlife, necessitating urgent action for environmental resilience.

Project Description: Sustainable Environmental Recovery

This project aims to strengthen Ukraine’s capacity to address war-related environmental impacts from chemical pollution and promote a sustainable, green recovery. It comprises five components, each addressing critical aspects of Enhancing Environmental Resilience in Ukraine:

Component 1: Managing Asbestos for Environmental Resilience

This component focuses on safe management of asbestos-contaminated debris by adapting international asbestos testing standards, evaluating Ukrainian laboratory capabilities, conducting site trials, developing technical guidelines, and creating training materials. A decision-making framework and legal recommendations will support local authorities.

Expected Deliverables: Technical guidelines, laboratory capacity assessment, field trial documentation, training materials, and legal framework recommendations.

Component 2: Asbestos Training for SESU Resilience

This component enhances the State Emergency Service of Ukraine’s (SESU) capacity to manage asbestos hazards during emergency responses by developing tailored training materials, field guides, and a “train-the-trainers” program for sustainability.

Expected Deliverables: Training curricula, instructional materials, field guides, and a capacity-building program for SESU trainers.

Component 3: Environmental Assessment in Kyiv Oblast

This component assesses environmental risks in Kyiv Oblast by mapping and evaluating contamination from industrial, agricultural, and infrastructure sites. It includes data collection, laboratory analysis, and the development of digital tools like environmental databases and spatial mapping.

Expected Deliverables: Environmental “hot spots” mapping, digital tools, priority site lists, and replicable investigation methodologies. Note: Subject to donor funding confirmation.

Component 4: Environmental Standards for Demining

This component establishes environmental standards for demining to mitigate risks to soil, water, and biodiversity by developing technical guidelines and policy recommendations in collaboration with stakeholders.

Expected Deliverables: Technical guidelines, stakeholder coordination frameworks, and policy recommendations.

Component 5: Kakhovka Reservoir Risk Assessment

This component assesses health risks from pollutants in the Kakhovka Reservoir through systematic soil and water sampling, focusing on heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and pesticides, with recommendations for agricultural and water safety.

Expected Deliverables: Contamination analysis reports, risk assessment models, and policy guidance. Note: Subject to donor funding confirmation.

Project Requirements

  • Expertise in environmental monitoring, assessment, and hazardous waste management, particularly asbestos.
  • Capacity for field assessments and laboratory analyses.
  • Experience in developing training materials and stakeholder engagement.
  • Proficiency in data management and spatial mapping technologies.
  • Proven track record of successful projects in Ukraine.
  • Ability to operate within Ukraine and established partnerships with Ukrainian NGOs and local authorities.
  • Collaboration history with the UN or other intergovernmental organizations.
  • Compliance with the application template provided at https://bit.ly/42igxVh.
  • Clear budget and methodology delineating each component.

Submission Details

  • Responsible Officer: Pier Carlo Sandei
  • Implementation Start Date: 2 June 2025
  • Implementation End Date: 31 March 2026
  • Submission Deadline: 22 May 2025
  • Notification Date: 26