Water Intensive Economy and Environmental issues in the Post-Soviet Transition Country

Résumé En

Ukraine as Post-Soviet transition economy suffers from intensive anthropogenic environment alteration, large volumes of water consumption in industrial sector and industrial waste pollution. These factors are mainly caused by communist heritage of heavy industrial complex and water intensive technologies. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between water consumption and industrial production within 25-year period of independence. Water intensity of national economy is analyzed as well. We apply two quantitative methods that encompass water use intensity indicator and few econometric tools. To verify the relationship correlation and simple regression analyses are used. Our results indicate that water use has a downturn trend. Water use intensity is declining as well, mainly due to structural changes in economy and regional disparities of water consumption. Nevertheless, particular attention should be given to increase water use efficiency in industrial complex in order to reduce negative impact of environmentally damaging production on aquatic ecosystems.