Dear Friends!
I am pleased to share the second issue of the UWEC Work Group Journal, where we collect information about the impact of the war on the environment. In this issue we discuss not only the war’s negative consequences, but also the possibilities for constructive solutions: prospects for Ukraine’s «green recovery.»
We will nevertheless begin with negative impacts, a topic that is especially important today. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been ongoing for four months now. Every day, frequent shelling leads to soil pollution, causes fires, and has a devastating effect on ecosystems.
While it is impossible to analyze impacts in places where there are ongoing hostilities, scientists can still identify some consequences of the war’s negative impact on soils in Ukraine. Our colleagues from the Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group have prepared an article dedicated to this topic:
Future of munitions-damaged Ukrainian lands — LINK
In addition to the soils article, UNCG’s Oleksii Vasyliuk wrote specifically about the war’s impacts on Ukraine’s biodiversity. More than 200 Ukrainian Emerald Network sites are located in the immediate war zone, representing a threat to all of European biodiversity. The potential loss of many species in Ukraine will have global ecosystem consequences.
20 plants that could disappear because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — LINK
As we described in Issue 1 (https://uwecworkgroup.info/issue-1/), we can already discuss the war’s direct and indirect consequences. Indirect impacts include the weakening of environmental laws in Russia. Eugene Simonov takes a closer look at this question.
Environmental lawlessness during wartime — LINK
Simonov also analyzed the influence of Europe’s REPowerEU plan on European conservation policy.
Does REPowerEU Reinforce or Contradict the Green Deal? — LINK
And lastly, some hope for rays of «green» light after the current storm of war.
Ukraine and its partners are talking more and more about plans for the country’s recovery. On 4-5 July, an entire conference will be dedicated to Ukraine’s recovery in Lugano, Switzerland. Recovery plans must align with principles of sustainable development and a green economy. We share a brief overview of recent progress in this regard.
Green Reconstruction of Ukraine — LINK
We also interviewed Maria Dyachuk a specialist in the Greening Industry program at Ecoaction Center for Environmental Initiatives. We talked about plans for Ukraine’s green recovery as well as about the role civil society can play in that recovery.
Civil society on the path to Ukraine’s green recovery — LINK
Learn more about the environmental consequences of Russia’s attack on Ukraine via UWEC’s Twitter account LINK.
Sign up for our mailing list on our website: UWEC Work Group.
By disseminating verifiable information about the war and its consequences, we help find solutions, mitigate negative impacts, and, I would like to believe, bring about the war’s end more quickly.
Write to us with suggestions or collaboration ideas at editor@uwecworkgroup.info.
Together, we can ensure that Ukraine’s green recovery starts as soon as possible!
Respectfully,
Alexei Ovchinnikov
Editor, UWEC Work Group Journal