As a result of hostilities in Ukraine, over 9,000 cases of environmental damage have been recorded, with the total amount of ecological losses exceeding 108 billion euros.
This is reported by Finway
Scale of Destruction and Threat to Ecosystems
According to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, the most striking examples of environmental destruction due to the aggression of the Russian Federation include the explosion of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Station, pollution of the Siverskyi Donets River, and the impact on the new safe confinement of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
“10.6 trillion euros — the losses in Ukraine’s subsoil use sector. About 50% of the most important, so-called critical mineral resources of Ukraine are located in regions occupied by Russia,” stated the minister.
According to the statement by the Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, Svitlana Hrynchuk, about 23% of Ukraine’s territory remains mined, posing a long-term ecological threat to nature and the population.
Recovery, Infrastructure Losses, and Green Initiatives
The damage to hydraulic infrastructure is estimated at least at 746 million dollars, while the needs for its restoration reach nearly 11 billion dollars. In addition, the war has led to the loss of control over half of the most important mineral resources, which are now located in regions occupied by Russia.
In response to these challenges, Ukraine is actively implementing reforms and environmental initiatives. In particular, a draft law on “Green Recovery” has already been developed, and the Green Recovery platform has accumulated over 20 million euros. Significant efforts are being directed towards reforestation, building rehabilitation centers for animals, and large-scale demining of forest areas.
It is worth noting that according to the United Nations Development Programme, the costs for post-war recovery in Ukraine over the next ten years are expected to be around 524 billion US dollars. This is nearly 2.8 times the nominal GDP of the country for 2024.