Ukraine presents its pavilion at the largest climate conference, showcasing a formula for peace, digital innovations, and walls sprouting from seeds.

From November 11 to 22, Baku will host the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP). This year, Ukraine's pavilion focuses on the theme of recovery – its walls are made from eco-friendly paper embedded with live seeds. After the conference concludes, fragments of the walls will be planted in Ukraine's partner countries as a symbol of collaborative actions that sprout into the future.

Ukraine is presenting its pavilion at COP for the third time, the largest annual international climate conference. In 2022, it highlighted the impact of the full-scale war on the entire world, with a major exhibit featuring a three-meter funnel containing sixteen types of Ukrainian soils, including the scorched black soil that has lost its fertility due to explosions. The main theme in 2023 was the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant dam by Russian forces. The pavilion displayed a roof from a house in the Kherson region, symbolizing the tragedy of losing a home due to massive flooding.

In 2024, the pavilion's concept is built around the idea of collective efforts leading to significant changes. The primary material for the pavilion is Ukrainian eco-friendly paper with live wildflower seeds. Artist Oleksandra Zhumailova created an artwork covering over 120 square meters, showcasing 50 key ecological initiatives from the government, businesses, and civil society in Ukraine. These include technologies for digital farming, advancements in renewable energy and demining, startups producing paper from fallen leaves, carbon capture devices, eco-friendly alternatives to foam, mobile printing factories, and other Ukrainian innovations already in use in the USA, the UK, and Japan. The pavilion's content emphasizes the key principle of recovery – "build back greener" – and the need for reparations for environmental damage caused by Russia's aggression.

“Now, as we protect the lives of our people from Russian strikes and overcome the consequences of the horrific crimes of this war, including the largest ecocide in Europe, we need maximum unity. Unity among all who share our core values – the value of life, the value of freedom, the value of rights, and the value of respect for every nation, every community, and every individual. When unity is at its peak, solidarity is most effective. And if it is so, then life, freedom, rights, and respect will surely prevail,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has committed over 6,500 crimes against the environment. The volume of greenhouse gas emissions has reached 180 million tons. Nearly 3 million hectares of forests have been damaged due to the war. A total of 139,000 square kilometers of land have been mined – three times the area of Switzerland.

Thanks to virtual reality zones, visitors to the pavilion will be able to witness firsthand the Ukrainian forests and fields destroyed by Russia, as well as fly over the Kakhovka Reservoir, the site of the largest man-made ecological disaster, and see the miracle of natural recovery – the willow forest that has grown in its place.

Even amid full-scale war, Ukraine remains a reliable partner in achieving global climate goals. Ahead of COP29, the Ukrainian parliament has enshrined 2050 as the target year for achieving climate neutrality.

“For Ukraine, it is extremely important to be present at the COP29 climate summit – this demonstrates our resilience in climate policy and our ability to work together with the civilized world toward common goals: overcoming the climate crisis and achieving climate neutrality. Our task is to present Ukraine as a center of green innovations, ecological solutions, and digital transformations, where new projects and initiatives are born. One of the key platforms for this will be our national pavilion – a symbol of unity, resilience, and commitment to green development even in wartime. I thank everyone who has joined us in showcasing Ukraine at COP29 and in creating our national pavilion,” said Svitlana Hrynchuk, Ukraine’s Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources.

In this endeavor, Ukraine is supported by international partners, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). An example of joint projects is one of the first full-cycle demolition waste recycling stations in Ukraine, which began operations in Bucha in April 2024. It not only helps clear debris but also allows for the reuse of materials for reconstruction.

“UNDP will continue to support Ukraine in achieving its climate goals: from developing a long-term low-carbon development strategy to facilitating reforms that ensure green recovery. With the support of the German government and other partners, Ukraine’s pavilion at COP29 will become an important platform for forging new partnerships and a catalyst for the country’s transition to green energy for recovery based on the principle of ‘building back better’,” emphasized Jaco Cilliers, the UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian pavilion was developed by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany, as well as the International Climate Initiative (IKI), the UN Global Compact, UNDP, the “Architecture of Recovery and Reforms in Ukraine” (URA), DTEK, Kernel, Naftogaz of Ukraine, PJSC "Ukrhydroenergo", Ukrnafta, EOPA, the Ukrainian Climate Office, SaveDnipro, UAnimals, "Ecodia", Breakthrough Energy, the European initiative Covenant of Mayors - East, the Ukrainian Climate Office (UCO), the European-Ukrainian Transformation, the Institute for Climate Protection, Energy and Mobility, the International Renaissance Foundation, SPP Development, Relief, IPCert, the Federation of Employers of the Oil and Gas Industry (FRNG), Epicenter Agro, and the Epicenter Group. The pavilion's concept was developed by the Gres Todorchuk agency.

What: 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference, November 11 – 22, 2024, Baku, Azerbaijan.