Dear friends!
Russia’s invasion has already threatened several animal species in Ukraine with extinction. Up to 70% of the global population of Normann’s mouse has potentially been killed. After the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam’s destruction, there was much talk about the disappearance of the sea zander, and the dolphin population in the Black Sea has been significantly affected. While the war continues, it is difficult to draw definitive conclusions, but it is highly likely that biodiversity in eastern and southern Ukraine has suffered enormous damage. Oleksiy Vasyliuk investigates:
Ecocide is taking place against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing occupation of Ukraine. Russia is pursuing strategies to “legitimize” its power, including awarding captured territories “protected area” status. That formal status does not, however, result in actual conservation efforts in these areas. Read more about how the occupation is being “legalized” in the Donetsk region through the creation of protected areas:
The Russian government’s lack of interest in environmental protection is further confirmed by its withdrawal from the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, as we recently reported. This move has also called into question the fate of wetlands in the occupied territories. Read our analysis to learn how Ukraine continues to methodically protect these areas and how the Ramsar Convention mechanism contributes to this:
In July, Rome hosted the 2025 Ukraine Recovery Conference, the third such conference. However, while the first conference, held in Lugano, Switzerland, was characterized by a high level of ambition, the latest one resembled a formal working meeting. Moreover, the “green” agenda is increasingly being replaced by economic and political interests, and energy and resources have become leading issues. Without a return to active discussion of sustainability principles at such conferences, Ukraine’s future will be black, not green. Alexander Vorbrugg and Ievgeniia Kopytsia wrote this report on the conference in Rome:
Unfortunately, Ukraine’s domestic political challenges are not helping nature conservation. The country has already faced the institutional crisis of unsuccessful reforms, although there have been some successes, such as the decentralization of power. However, the government continues to undertake controversial moves and make controversial decisions. Most recently, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources was abolished in July of this year. Its functions were folded into the new Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture. Read Inha Pavliy’s article to learn why Ukrainian environmental organizations and experts consider this to be a poor and potentially dangerous decision.
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You can read more about the environmental consequences of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on our website, Twitter (X),Facebook, Telegram and Bluesky.
We wish you strength, peace and good news!
Alexej Ovchinnikov, editor in chief, UWEC Work Group