Ukrainian ecologists say nature will suffer no matter war’s result
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Loading... - Oleg Dryomov
- 06 Feb 2023
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“As Ukrainian ecologists, we are constantly reminded of the extent to which war itself is at war with nature.”
In a new commentary, two scientists linked to the Ukraine War Environmental Consequences Work Group share their views on the current and future ecological restoration work that will be needed in their country.
Scientists and communicators linked to the group also hail from Russia and Belarus, countries which are engaged in the conflict against Ukraine: this is unusual and touching, the authors say. “The project has a huge democratic weight: when we’re trying to do the right thing for people and for nature, nationality doesn’t matter.”
At the start of last month’s UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) in Montreal, UN Environmental Programme Executive Director, Inger Andersen, made the memorable statement, “we are at war with nature” and must “make peace.” As Ukrainian ecologists now in Kyiv doing our work despite unsteady electricity — a full hour of uninterrupted internet is a luxury — and air raid sirens and explosions, we are constantly reminded of the extent to which war itself is at war with nature. For on top of the tragic loss of human life and the destruction of towns and cities, our country’s biodiversity is taking a beating. We would like to convey to the international community the impact the war in Ukraine is having on our flora and fauna, and suggest pathways forward.
First, it’s important to understand that the war’s assault on nature did not begin in February 2022. Rather, we have been monitoring the direct and indirect impacts of military actions on Ukraine’s natural ecosystems since the 2014 hostilities. Prior to 2022, combat occurred only in Eastern Ukraine, but there even protected areas, notably distinctive Ukrainian steppe ecosystems, were affected. The current full-scale invasion has significantly expanded the war zone into sites like the Polissia, an important Ramsar site; the coast along the Black and Azov Seas; and much of the steppe, which represents about half of Ukraine’s landscape. Read More…
