Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused $71 billion in environmental damage and led to a sharp increase in greenhouse gas emissions, the Ukrainian government said at the COP29 summit in Baku.
“Nature during this war is like a silent victim,” said Svetlana Grinchuk, Ukraine’s Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources.
The impact on the climate, especially through the destruction of forests that naturally balance carbon emissions, shows that the consequences of the war are “not only for Ukraine, but also for the global community,” she told reporters.
Grinchuk said the Ukrainian government estimated that the war had caused $71 billion in environmental damage and led to the equivalent of about 180 million tons of carbon emissions.
A year ago, the United Nations Development Program estimated the environmental damage from the war at $56 billion.
According to the latest Ukrainian assessment, military activities themselves have caused 51.6 million tons of carbon emissions since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, with another 56 million tons related to the need to rebuild infrastructure after the war.
Among other major contributors, fires have been blamed for 27.2 million tons of carbon equivalent.
Grinchuk said the invasion has damaged three million hectares of forests, which she noted is larger than the entire forested area of many countries.
Her remarks come as Russia has destroyed energy facilities in new aerial bombardments in Ukraine, plunging millions into darkness.
Both Russia and Ukraine have stepped up attacks as they anticipate a shift in crucial US support for Kiev once Donald Trump returns to the White House in two months.
Grinchuk said Ukraine is taking climate action in its recovery, with small renewable energy projects seen as more resilient to the threat from Russia.
“All Ukrainians have become very energy efficient in a very short period of time,” she said.
Ukraine, which is seeking membership in the European Union, has committed to achieving the bloc’s goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. | BGNES
