EcoZahroza is a state-of-the-art web portal and mobile app, was introduced by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine to enable real-time monitoring and recording of environmental threats, with detailed geographic mapping for affected regions. Designed to engage citizens in environmental monitoring, this initiative offers dual functionality, enabling users to assess air quality and radiation pollution levels and facilitating the reporting of environmental crimes.
A Cutting-Edge Platform for Environmental Safety in Ukraine
The EcoZahroza web platform addresses the need for improving climate protection by creating a centralized solution for monitoring and managing environmental threats, including pollution, deforestation, carbon emissions and more. EcoZahroza was designed to facilitate public awareness, government accountability, and policy enforcement in the realm of climate protection in Ukraine. Additionally, EcoZahroza catalyzes public activism, empowering citizens to identify and address environmental challenges.
Today, over 458,000 users have joined the initiative. Through the service, more than 2,800 reports have been submitted regarding the consequences of military actions and their negative environmental impact. Using EcoZahroza, citizens have access to reliable information about the environmental situation in their region. For instance, if Telegram channels spread fears about radiation contamination, users can check whether radiation levels are within safe limits. Simultaneously, the EcoZahroza comprehensive dashboard provides real-time analytics on the environmental damage caused in Ukraine. Additionally, an interactive map displays data from: over 1000 air quality monitoring stations; more than 600 radiation control posts; nearly 400 water resource monitoring and ecological assessment stations.
National Effort to Monitor and Prevent Environmental Hazards
The EcoZahroza web platform follows national and international climate policies and is aligned with Ukraine's climate change mitigation goals. Access to a single, official source of accurate, up-to-date information on air quality, radiation levels, and environmental risks caused by war is crucial for the Ukrainian public. To enhance environmental governance, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine introduced a state-of-the-art ecological automated information system - EcoSystem - seamlessly integrated with the Diia web portal. Resolution, approved by the Government in October 2021, granted EcoSystem official status in Ukraine. In July 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved a resolution to implement the EcoZahroza service.
This new service ensures that Ukrainians have access to verified, real-time information on environmental threats, including air quality and radiation levels, while documenting the ecological damage inflicted by war. Among primary beneficiaries are local communities, especially those in areas affected by environmental hazards; government agencies seeking to enforce policies and track progress; environmental NGOs involved in advocacy and policy recommendations.
With EcoZahroza, Ukraine can measure the success, guide decision-making, and improve its functionality over time, using such indicators as number of active users (citizens and government officials); amount of data collected and processed on environmental threats; increased engagement in climate protection initiatives; reduction in environmental risks tracked through the platform.
Solution: Digital Shield Against Environmental Threats
EcoZahroza is an online platform and app that serves as a hub for environmental monitoring and data related to climate protection. It leverages cloud-based platforms, data analytics tool technologies to provide scalability, data integration, and real-time updates. It also utilizes existing government data platforms for monitoring climate risks. EcoZahroza includes a standardized form to automatically collect and record information about environmental threats in real-time.
Through the EcoZahroza app and web platform, environmental impact is automatically calculated during data processing, with continuous refinement and expansion of calculation parameters and categories to ensure evolving accuracy and relevance. Once data is processed, the system updates the dashboard with relevant information to keep the public informed on environmental status, official Ministry warnings, and real-time progress on threat mitigation. The web platform also identifies the designated executive body responsible for addressing environmental impacts, providing ongoing monitoring through visual evidence of threat resolution and area restoration.
More than 18 thousand people joined the project, especially experts, representatives of public bodies, IT specialists, and concerned citizens. To implement EcoZahroza, the solution required: technical expertise in software development, data science, and cloud infrastructure; project management to coordinate between multiple stakeholders; and environmental expertise to ensure that the platform's focus aligns with policy and real-world environmental challenges.
Visible Benefits
The primary objectives of EcoZahroza are to:
Provide reliable information about the state of air, water, soil and other environmental data
- Check information about radiation or chemical threats
- Get facts about environmental threats caused by war
- Enhance public engagement in climate action
- Enable effective monitoring of environmental factors across Ukraine
- Empower citizens to report and reduce local environmental issues
- Support the government in data-driven decision-making for climate protection.
Partnerships and Procurement
The EcoZahroza web resource and app were developed by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, with support from the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and partners, including the USAID/UK aid project 'Transparency and Accountability in Public Administration and Services (TAPAS)', APENA2, and SaveDnipro. Procurement processes were designed to ensure cost-effectiveness, customizability, and timely delivery.
Rollout Strategy
The web platform was initially deployed as a pilot project in key urban areas, followed by a phased rollout to the broader national and regional levels to gather user feedback, integrate new features, and ensure robust functionality.
Core Technological Components
The EcoZahroza web platform in Ukraine is designed to address environmental challenges and monitor ecological risks, including AI-powered analytics for environmental trend forecasting, blockchain for transparent, tamper-proof data reporting and IoT sensors for real-time environmental monitoring.
Security and Data Management
EcoZahroza employs robust encryption, data anonymization, and compliance with international data protection regulations to ensure user privacy and cybersecurity, following national standards for environmental data protection. In compliance with the Law of Ukraine «On Personal Data Protection», the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine prioritizes user privacy and data security. The Ministry implements strict measures to safeguard personal data whether obtained through the service or by other means, ensuring controlled access and mitigating risks of loss, misuse, or unauthorized access.
Paving the Way for Scalable Digital Innovation
The web platform is designed to be scalable, with the ability to extend to other regions and countries. It can integrate new data sources and expand its features to accommodate additional environmental monitoring or other government services. The application has extended its reach beyond Ukraine, attracting users from countries including the USA, Poland, Germany, France, the UK, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Italy, Switzerland and more. With its English-language version, it serves a global audience, predominantly used by international users to track radiation levels in Ukraine, a critical issue capturing worldwide attention.
