The Economic Instruments for Overcoming Ecological Problems in Ukraine

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to develop proposals for improving the economic instruments for overcoming ecological problems in Ukraine. A significant deterioration in the state of the environment in an unstable economic situation is emphasized. The significant aggravation of ecological and economic problems in the country during the wartime and the need to overcome them are underlined. The dynamics of changes in the state of the environment, in particular the volume of waste generation and disposal in Ukraine during 2016-2020, is examined. It is concluded that there is an unstable trend of changes in the volume of waste generated, which allowed to state the inconsistent and unsystematic ecological policy of the government recently. As a positive point, the tendency to reduction of the waste of I–III hazard classes is specified. The tendency to decrease the volume of recycled and burned waste and increase the amount of waste in specially designated places and facilities is determined, which can also be the cause of aggravation of ecological problems in the country. An analysis of the dynamics of capital investments and current costs for the protection and rational use of natural resources is carried out. It is concluded that at the state level in Ukraine the problem of greening production has not yet been resolved. It is emphasized that ecologically safe and resource-saving technologies, as well as waste processing and purification require additional financial investments. It is underlined that economic instruments for regulating the behavior of economic and ecological systems today require additional substantiation. The possibilities of more efficient use of methods of taxation, customs policy, lending, provision of subsidies and benefits, imposition of fines, etc. are considered. The need to introduce ecological management as an important direction to overcome ecological problems in the country is proved. In order to ensure the efficiency of the considered economic instruments, the need for an appropriate control system with performance control and compliance with standards is substantiated.