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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.
In
order for the team at UWEC to continue our high
quality work, we increasingly need your support.
Please support UWEC Work Group with a monthly or
one-time donation.
Support UWEC Work
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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 |
