Ukraine should conduct national forest inventory, PM Shmyhal says

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stresses the need for a national forest inventory.

A flood risk management plan should be drafted by October 31, 2022, he said during a Q&A hour at the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, on July 3, 2020.

As the State Forest Agency reported, the average amount of precipitation in Ivano-Frankivsk region, the area most affected by recent floods, was 2.8 billion cubic meters during the period of the flooding, Shmyhal said.

Read alsoStriking twice: Rainfalls cause new flooding in Zakarpattia (Photos, videos)

Yet, the forests could have absorbed about 10% of that excess precipitation in Ivano-Frankivsk region, he said.

Climate change is another cause of floods, he added.

Shmyhal acknowledges illegal logging exists in Ukraine. At the same time, he added the government was introducing measures to fight against this. In particular, the comprehensive use of electronic chips for timber was introduced, while e-auctions were launched for timber.

According to him, this allows the authorities to control most of the wood that is processed in Ukraine.

He stressed the law enforcement agencies should step up efforts to prevent illegal deforestation.

Shmyhal said the government was working on a strategy for reforming the forestry sector.

As UNIAN reported earlier, heavy precipitation in late June led to floods in Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, Lviv, Zakarpattia, and Ternopil regions.

Three people died in Ivano-Frankivsk region. In late June, the government allocated UAH 672 million (US$24.7 million) to overcome the effects of floods in western Ukraine.

As of July 2, rescuers continue an operation to help the local population and eliminate the effects of the floods. According to the regional authorities, the damage from floods in Ternopil region was estimated at about UAH 60 million (US$2.2 million) as of July 2, 2020.