Russia's War Has Caused Another $10 Billion Worth Damage to Ukraine's Environment

The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources has assessed the additional CO2 emissions resulting from Russia's armed aggression in Ukraine. Currently, the environmental losses have reached $10 billion.

Deputy Minister of European Integration, Yevhenii Fedorenko, announced this at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change - COP28.

Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to plan to fulfill its international commitments and does not intend to abandon its climate goals despite the bloody war initiated by Russia.

"Ukraine has undertaken commitments and adopted the Global Methane Pledge to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030. We also continue to implement Eurointegration reforms that will allow Ukrainian polluting enterprises to modernize. We are moving towards the principles of a circular economy and green development," emphasized Yevhenii Fedorenko.

In addition, according to the information during the ministerial meeting of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, the parties focused on the issue of financing future initiatives to reduce SLCP emissions.

SLCP is considered the second most influential factor in climate change after CO2 since these are short-lived air pollutants that linger in the atmosphere for several days to decades.

At the same time, Yevhenii Fedorenko stressed that Ukraine "is already planning its green recovery using the best innovative technologies."

Recall that on November 30 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the UN Climate Change Conference COP28 began. The governments of member countries held intensive negotiations and discussions that lasted for two weeks and ended on December 12.

The main theme of the summit was the gradual phase-out of coal, oil, and gas worldwide, as these resources are the main source of harmful CO2 emissions. In total, ministers and high-ranking officials from 198 countries were gathered on the sidelines of COP28.

Earlier, the UN stated that the efforts of world governments are insufficient to prevent global warming. Even if countries can fulfill all current climate commitments, pollution causing global warming will still be 9% higher in 2030 than in 2010. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, to prevent global warming, the world will have to reduce emissions by approximately 45%.