20% of Ukraine’s protected areas have suffered due to the war. Some territories—valuable ecosystems, wetlands ravaged by tanks, and burned forests in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that have been devastated by the russians since 2014—are lost forever. However, in most cases, nature has the ability to heal itself without the need for any extra conditions. The key is not to interfere.

Our common task is to assess the environmental damage caused by the fighting and hold the invader accountable with a fair bill.

In the early months of the war, we asked ourselves, “What’s next?” We cannot always stop a missile that burns forests, destroys land, and pollutes soil and water. Clearly, such incidents will continue. What can be done about it?

We studied the history of wars and reparations. The most recent case we looked into was the Iraq-Kuwait war. In that instance, 10% of the reparations were designated as environmental. However, these mostly concerned losses of natural resources—how much natural gas was burned, how many mineral deposits were destroyed, and so on. We became curious as to why there was no accounting for biodiversity loss—plants, animals, and other living organisms. History has shown that there was no proper recording of environmental crimes nor a method for calculating them. This is why we are starting from scratch.

There are several critical steps necessary to document the damage and hold russia accountable.

First, we need to monitor and catalog Ukraine’s biodiversity meticulously. Currently, we largely rely on outdated methods, but with the help of our Finnish colleagues, we are modernizing our approach. This is one of the key reforms required for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.

Specifically, we aim to implement satellite monitoring that will allow us to track each animal rather than estimating numbers based on sightings and plugging those figures into a formula.

Second, it is crucial to document the environmental crimes that have already occurred thoroughly. Since the first days of the full-scale invasion, the State Environmental Inspectorate has been recording each crime with on-site inspections, when possible, along with photographs and all necessary evidence. The collected data is being uploaded to the EcoZagroza — official resource of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine. You can find more information here: https://ecozagroza.gov.ua/enEkoZahroza app, which any Ukrainian can contribute to.

The approaches used by the State Environmental Inspectorate are much broader than those employed by law enforcement when investigating criminal liability. There is a stark difference between proving a crime and evaluating the damage done. For instance, how can we calculate the value of a tree that has been growing for 80 years?

However, it is important to note that a full accounting of the damages will only be possible after demining efforts are completed—currently, more than 25% of Ukrainian territory is mined and in need of inspection.

In February, Ukrainian prosecutors officially notified russian military personnel of their suspected involvement in committing ecocide in Ukraine for the first time. Holding russia accountable as a whole, however, is a matter of international law. On April 2, the Register of Damage for Ukraine, which includes an environmental component, came into effect, with over 40 countries supporting the creation of this “international tribunal.”

As we continue to gather evidence of russia’s crimes against the environment, we must also address institutional changes within Ukraine. One of the most critical steps is to draft and pass a law on state climate policy, something Ukraine has lacked thus far. This policy would enable the launch of an emissions trading system similar to that in EU countries. Additionally, we have supported the European Commission’s initiative to increase the share of renewable energy to 2030. Ukraine has unique territories, such as the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, where green energy projects can be developed on unused land, gradually turning Ukraine into an energy hub.

We are already shaping the future of Ukraine’s economy and the country’s ability to recover after the war. These issues cannot be postponed. Therefore, we must implement European standards for the use of natural resources while meticulously documenting everything for which russia will have to pay soon.

The texts in the Columns section reflect only the author’s opinion and do not necessarily align with the position of UAnimals media’s editorial team.

This publication was compiled with the support of the European Union and the International Renaissance Foundation within the framework European Renaissance of Ukraine project. Its content is the exclusive responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union and the International Renaissance Foundation.