Current losses to Ukrainian ecosystems estimated at USD 65 billion: Prime Minister at environmental security conference

russia’s war against Ukraine has caused widespread ecological destruction, resulting in unprecedented pollution, ecosystem disruption and damage to biodiversity not only in Ukraine but around the world. This was stated by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal at a conference to discuss Point 8 “Environmental Security” of the Ukrainian President’s Peace Formula.

The event took place in Helsinki and was attended by Prime Minister of Finland Petteri Orpo, Vice-President of the European Commission Maroš Šefčovič, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak, as well as high-ranking officials from other countries.

According to the Prime Minister of Ukraine, it is crucial to discuss and develop further joint steps on Point 8 of the Peace Formula, which deals with environmental security.

“We are confident that today’s discussions will allow more countries to understand the problem of the war against the natural ecosystems of the European continent and to join in supporting Ukraine on its path to environmental security,” said Denys Shmyhal.

According to the Prime Minister of Ukraine, the current damage to Ukrainian ecosystems is estimated at USD 65 billion. One third of Ukraine’s forests have been affected by the war. 20% of Ukraine’s protected areas have also been affected. As a result of the war, 35% of Europe’s biodiversity owned by Ukraine is under threat.

In addition, almost 10,000 hectares of internationally important wetlands in Ukraine have been destroyed as a result of russia’s blowing up of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant. About a quarter of Ukraine’s territory is mined, which also causes significant damage.

“How many years will it take to deal with the consequences? In France, at the end of the First World War 106 years ago, 1,200 square kilometres were identified as contaminated by the fighting. To this day, any activity, including grazing, is prohibited there. In Ukraine, the area potentially contaminated by mines and shells is about 140,000 square kilometres. This means that the Ukrainian scale is dozens and dozens of times larger,” the Prime Minister said, stressing that everyone faced an important task – to develop a common vision of how to protect nature and human life.

Denys Shmyhal noted that Ukraine was ready to develop a common vision and concrete steps in this direction, applying the principle of “the enemy must pay”.

In particular, the Head of Ukrainian Government outlined several key tasks for which a common strategy needed to be developed:

• tracking, recording and reporting on all environmental consequences, impacts, losses and damages of the russian aggressor’s war in Ukraine;
• gathering valuable high-level feedback and technical comments from Ukraine’s partners;
• developing further joint steps to bring the russian aggressor to justice for all environmental crimes committed against Ukraine.

“Environmental security is a prerequisite for economic and social development. Therefore, we need to find solutions and resources to best protect and restore our nature and ecology, which has suffered as a result of the war,” said Denys Shmyhal.

The Prime Minister of Ukraine thanked the Government of Finland for hosting the event, the co-chair countries – Finland, Germany, Bulgaria – for their work on the implementation of Point 8, as well as other countries supporting Ukraine in this process.

Following the conference, the participating countries agreed on a joint Communiqué.