Dear Friends!
The main events in June this year were conferences and presentations of research on the environmental consequences of the Kakhovka hydropower plant dam’s sabotage in 2023. The good news is that the short-term consequences were not as catastrophic as experts had feared. No dust storms developed, desalination and blooming persisted for just a few months in the Black Sea, and local species, such as willow and poplar, have grown on the bed of the former Kakhovka reservoir instead of invasive plant species. However, the disaster itself raised two important questions that remain relevant for the environment in Ukraine and the region today: how to hold the aggressor accountable for this ecocide and how the country will be restored once the war is over. Read more about the conferences and the results of the research dedicated to the anniversary of the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in our traditional review:
Over the past year, Ukrainian scientists have organized more than five expeditions to the bed of the former Kakhovka Reservoir. The research was conducted in close proximity to the frontline, so it has not yet been possible to carry out a full analysis. In addition, there is no data from the left bank of the Dnieper, which was severely damaged during the flooding. We also should not forget that while the war continues, threats of new disasters and pollution remain. The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, located on the shore of Kakhovka Reservoir, still stands in the danger zone. In this issue you can familiarize yourself with the preliminary results of expeditions, results give hope of a green future for Ukraine:
Some experts have described the issue of water resources as a cornerstone of this war, citing the need to guarantee water supply to the North Crimean Canal as one possible reason for Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, the war has not resolved the “water issue”, and new research shows that with proper management and modernization of the agricultural and infrastructure sectors, Crimea is capable of independently meeting its water needs. We hope that this will happen when the peninsula is liberated. UWEC expert Eugene Simonov explores Crimea’s problematic stewardship of water resources:
Discussion of the issue of Ukraine’s green recovery continued in June at the Ukraine Recovery Conference. Unfortunately, military needs are still a top priority for the country, and for now Kyiv views the solution to the acute issue of energy security through an industrial prism: specifically, through the construction of nuclear and hydroelectric power plants, which it sees as compromise “green” solutions. Nevertheless, environmental organizations continue to advocate for more ambitious goals in post-war restoration projects for Ukraine. Read about the conference’s outcomes in this article by Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Hubareva:
War upends the natural order, forcing living organisms to change their habits and adapt. This primarily concerns migratory species, such as birds. Destruction of long-term nesting areas, disruptions to civil aviation, shelling, and military activity affect almost all bird species, including birds of prey, forcing them to change their behavior and habitats. This all comes with environmental consequences, disrupting local ecosystems. Read more about the war’s impact on raptor populations in Ukraine in this article by Viktoria Hubareva and Stanislav Viter:
You can explore other stories and news related to the consequences of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on our website, on Twitter (X), Facebook, and Telegram.
We wish you strength and peace!
Alexei Ovchinnikov, Editor, UWEC Work Group