COP29: Ukraine and international partners initiate new projects to assess the environmental damage caused by the war.

Participating in the high-level panel discussion were the First Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, Elena Kramarenko, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management, Oleg Bondarenko, and the Deputy Chairman of this committee, Elena Krivoruchkina. During the event, the Advisor to the Minister of Environment of Finland, Saija Vuola, announced two new international projects aimed at helping Ukraine assess the damage inflicted on water resources and biodiversity.

“The environment is a silent victim of war, lacking a voice, but its destruction will have consequences for the entire world for decades to come. Russia's war against Ukraine is causing devastating harm to nature, and these crimes must be recognized at the international level,” emphasized First Deputy Minister Elena Kramarenko during her speech.

According to her, official estimates indicate that nearly 6,500 cases of environmental damage have been recorded in Ukraine, with an estimated cost exceeding 65 billion euros.

“We must not only document crimes against the environment but also advocate for the international recognition of ecocide as a distinct crime. This will set a precedent that makes any aggressive actions against nature extremely disadvantageous for potential aggressors,” Elena Kramarenko stressed.

Among the most egregious examples of environmental harm is the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Station, which led to the loss of the reservoir, pollution of the Black Sea, and the devastation of protected natural areas. Additionally, ongoing shelling of energy infrastructure results in massive chemical contamination of soils and air, while fires caused by hostilities destroy the fertile layer of the earth.

“In conflict zones, not only people suffer, but also wild animals, plants, and the natural reserve fund. Our task is to gather evidence of these crimes to present it to international courts. Only in this way can we achieve justice and restore the environment,” Elena Kramarenko emphasized.

The event also showcased the results of the work and future plans of the UN Development Programme’s project assessing environmental damage in Ukraine, supported by the Swedish government. A representative from the NGO Save Dnipro presented a VR installation on environmental crimes, which is accessible to all visitors at the Ukraine Pavilion at COP. The content marketing agency Top Lead presented the second edition of an infographic study on the impact of the war on the environment, prepared with analytical support from the Ministry of Environment, at COP29.

Ukraine, together with international partners, continues to work on documenting environmental harm to convey to the world the scale of Russia's ecological crimes and to garner the necessary support for restoration.