Stimulation of sustainable water using by obligatory payments for ecosystem services

Abstract

Introduction. Besides 17 goals of sustainable development, established by UN, there is goal of clean water and sanitation. In the framework of this goal is planning to approach the following, till 2030:

• By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all
• By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations
• By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally
• By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity
• By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate
• By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes
• By 2030, expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies
• Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management [12].

Another intergovernmental agreement, the Paris Climatic Agreement, is a logical continuation of the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals [12].

Systemic and structural overlaps in the national economy have led to the fact that the main natural users are integrated business associations, which use the vast majority of natural resources in the reproduction process.

The use of water resources in Ukraine is becoming increasingly large, due to both climatic changes and the growing demand of business entities for this natural resource. Accordingly, the issue of assessing the value of natural resources, in particular water resources, is becoming increasingly relevant. The lack of an adequate price of natural resources does not ensure the establishment of real, incentivising the effective use of the resource rent payments.

The minimum level of water availability, defined by the UN, is 1.7 thousand cubic meters. m per year per person, in Ukraine - 1,0 thousand cubic meters. meters [5].

In general, the application of the two scenarios makes it possible to conclude that it is necessary to increase the rent rates for special use of water in order to increase the efficiency of its use, as well as the increase of the amount of capital investments can promote the efficiency of water use.

Conclutions. In general, the levy payment for special use of water resources in Ukraine does not perform fiscal functions, since their share in the budgets of different levels of revenue remains negligible. The state does not provide proper control over the special use of water. But it should be noted that the fiscal role of this payment has increased for local budgets since starting from 2015 it began to be redistributed in a ratio of 50/50 between state and local budgets. It makes sense to increase the regulatory role of this payment, which should be strengthened. Taking into account the problem of the lack of proper control of the special use of water, the transfer of a significant part of this payment to the local budgets will increase the interest of local self-government in controlling the special use of water.

A significant reduction in the volume of special use of water can be explained by a decrease in water consumption in order to use it in production processes, since annual production growth rates are observed from year to year (over the past 15 years). And given the fact that the capacity of the treatment facilities decreased during the period under review, the amount of water consumed should increase. This is evidence of the lack of introduction of new production technologies that contribute to the saving of water resources.

All of the above suggests that, despite the general decrease in water use, the lack of prerequisites for the sustainable use of water resources in Ukraine. In order to strengthen the processes of sustainable use, first of all, it is necessary to develop an effective system for monitoring the use and pollution of water, and secondly, to develop an effective mechanism for taxation of rent using water, which will take into account the introduction of new technologies for water use.