Scientific, political and communicative aspects of the solution of environ-mental problems (example of waste management)

Abstract

Reducing the amount of waste and its negative effects on the environment and the quality of human life is one of the global environmental challenges of today, which requires a comprehensive response. The article is dedicated to the analysis of approaches to solving the problem of waste management at the local level since it largely determines the success of problem-solving globally. Waste management is defined as a scientific-political problem since the success of solving depends on scientific justification, expertise, and recommendations, as well as on the understanding of these recommendations by politicians and society in general. The complexity of solving scientific-political problems (issues) is characterized by increasing uncertainty, value burden, high stakes (price), risks and urgency of decisions (Ravetz). It is shown the productivity of engaging local values (А Place-Based Theory), management of the common (Ostrom), and interpretation of the NIMBY phenomenon for the formation of approaches to the development of management and communication strategies in the field of waste management at the local level. The current Russian aggression in Ukraine with its large-scale destructive consequences for the cities, towns, villages and the environment as a whole added new aspects to the problem of waste management and greatly complicated the implementation of previous plans. This calls for a search for effective and integral solutions taking into account the methodological potential of the “Global Principles for Zero Waste Communities” and involvement in the problem solution of all actors and available tools and taking into account particular characteristics and traditions of communities.