In the wake of Russia’s ongoing military aggression, Ukraine faces significant challenges in maintaining its agricultural productivity and food security. The conflict has led to substantial losses of arable land, pushing policymakers and scientists to explore alternative regions for sustainable development. One such area is Ukrainian Polissia, a vast forested region in the north of the country. However, the shadow of the Chornobyl disaster looms large, necessitating a careful approach to land use due to lingering radioecological risks.
Enter Liudmyla Raichuk, a researcher at the Institute of Agroecology and Environmental Management of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Kyiv. Raichuk and her team have developed a groundbreaking GIS-based methodology for radioecological-landscape zoning, published in the journal Environmental Quality Assessment (EQA). Their work focuses on the Radioecological Criticality Index (RECI), a tool designed to integrate various natural, anthropogenic, and radioecological factors to assess the safety and suitability of land for different uses.
The RECI considers a range of variables, including soil cover, topography, hydrography, land use, 137Cs contamination levels, and radiation dose rates. By analyzing these factors, the methodology can identify zones of varying criticality levels, providing a comprehensive overview of the radioecological landscape. “This approach allows us to strike a balance between accuracy and accessibility,” Raichuk explains. “We’ve used open geospatial data from sources like Copernicus and SRTM, making our methodology adaptable and widely applicable.”
The team tested their methodology near the village of Rozsokhivske in Zhytomyr Oblast, demonstrating its effectiveness in correlating criticality levels with landscape characteristics. This success opens the door to broader applications, including the assessment of other types of contamination, such as chemical or organic pollutants, and the evaluation of post-conflict areas within international programs like those run by the UNEP and IAEA.
For the energy sector, this research holds significant implications. As Ukraine and other countries seek to expand their renewable energy infrastructure, understanding the radioecological landscape becomes crucial. Wind farms, solar parks, and other energy projects require large tracts of land, and ensuring their safety and sustainability is paramount. The RECI methodology can help identify suitable locations for these projects, minimizing risks and maximizing benefits.
Moreover, the methodology supports sustainable regional planning, aligning with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including zero hunger (SDG 2), climate action (SDG 13), and life on land (SDG 15). It also complements the EU Soil Strategy 2030, providing a tool for ecosystem restoration, optimization of agricultural land use, and evaluation of ecosystem services.
However, the methodology is not without its limitations. It relies heavily on the quality of available data and requires periodic updates to its coefficients. Despite these challenges, Raichuk remains optimistic about its potential. “This is a versatile foundation for managing degraded territories,” she says. “It ensures ecological safety and economic stability, paving the way for sustainable development in regions affected by conflict or contamination.”
As Ukraine looks to the future, the work of Raichuk and her team offers a beacon of hope. By providing a scientifically grounded approach to land use, they are helping to shape a more sustainable and resilient future for the country and beyond. Their research, published in EQA, serves as a testament to the power of innovation in the face of adversity, and a reminder of the critical role that science plays in building a better world.