Perception of Environmental CSOs in Ukraine: Research Findings Presented

On 14 October, Green Dossier and its partners presented the findings of the sociological study Perception of Environmental CSOs in Ukraine to representatives of the media, civil society, and other stakeholders. The event explored how Ukrainians perceive environmental civil society organisations, the level of trust they place in them, and their role in addressing environmental challenges.

The study combined 21 in-depth interviews with representatives of various sectors and an all-Ukrainian telephone survey of 1,006 respondents. The research examined perceptions of environmental CSOs among both the general public and potential partner organisations, while also seeking to better understand Ukrainians’ experiences of interacting with these organisations and the factors that shape trust in their work.

The findings show broad public support for environmental protection despite the ongoing war. 60% of respondents disagreed with the view that environmental issues should be put on hold during wartime. Environmental priorities varied across regions, with water quality, waste management, forests and green spaces, air quality, and war-related environmental damage identified as the most pressing concerns.

The research also highlighted challenges related to the visibility of environmental organisations. While more than half of respondents had heard of environmental CSOs, only around 7% could name a specific organisation. At the same time, respondents reported nearly twice as much trust in environmental CSOs as in local authorities, although they would still be more likely to turn to authorities first in the event of serious pollution incidents.

The study’s authors noted that the findings can help strengthen communication, improve mutual understanding, and support more effective cooperation between civil society, public authorities, businesses, and other stakeholders.

The event also featured the presentation of WWF-Ukraine’s research on the environmental civil society sector itself. The research examined the sector’s structure, resources, organisational capacity, and key challenges, offering a complementary perspective on how environmental organisations view their own role, opportunities, and constraints.

During the discussion, participants reflected on public awareness of environmental issues and environmental organisations, levels of trust in the sector, and the role of the media and CSO communications teams in strengthening outreach. They also explored ways to better connect environmental organisations’ work to everyday issues affecting people’s lives and discussed which communication channels and formats could make their activities more visible, understandable, and relevant to wider audiences.

The presentation of the study in Ukrainian can be found via the link.