The Ukrainian plan for restoring the environment damaged as a result of full-scale Russian aggression should be reflected in the relevant resolution of the UN General Assembly, said head of the President’s Office Andriy Yermak.
Speaking at the international conference “United for justice. United for nature” in Kyiv on Friday, he noted: “Due to the daily increase in the number of crimes of the Russian Federation against the environment in Ukraine, their overall harmful impact on the whole world is increasing.”
“Mining, forest fires, air pollution create a system of interdependent challenges and threats for all humanity. Nature does not understand human boundaries, therefore crimes against it anywhere affect each and every one of us,” he said, adding that Ukraine is making every possible effort to draw the attention of the international community to the environmental consequences of the war.
As Yermak reported, in particular, “over the six months of the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine, more carbon dioxide was released into the atmosphere than countries the size of Bulgaria produce a year, while at the same time, the long-term consequences of the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric station have not yet been assessed.”
In this regard, the head of the President’s Office emphasized that, as with all other aspects of the Ukrainian Peace Formula, protecting the environment requires a joint vision of collective efforts.
“Our measures aimed at protecting the environment will allow us to implement a comprehensive plan for the Ukrainian restoration of nature from the consequences of war. This tool should prevent the commission of crimes against the environment around the world. And it should be reflected in the relevant resolutions of the UN General Assembly and other international documents. I believe that Ukraine is not the only one who is interested in holding such events,” Yermak said.
At the end of November, according to Yermak, “Ukraine plans to hold a corresponding meeting in Brussels and hopes that the European Parliament will take certain decisions to help us consolidate international efforts and position regarding environmental problems due to Russian aggression, as well as a recovery plan.”