The war in Ukraine improved the state of environmental monitoring – Strilets

The war in Ukraine improved the state of environmental monitoring – Strilets mepr.gov.ua
Katerina Belousova

During 7 months of full-scale war, damage to the environment was caused in the amount of more than €36 billion

The Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, Ruslan Strilets, said that one of the consequences of the war was the improvement of environmental monitoring.

The country has created a special operational group (Operational Headquarters) under the State Environmental Inspection, which monitors damage to nature from the war, reports Euronews.

"Before the war, no one had the same methodology," Strelets said in an interview for the publication, adding that he "hopes" that no one will need it in the future.

He emphasized that over 2,000 cases of damage to the environment have already been recorded in 7 months of full-scale war, and damage to the environment in the amount of more than 36 billion.

So only damage to the soil led to 11.4 billion in damages, and air pollution - up to 24.6 billion.

Strilets emphasized that as of August 2022, about 30% of Ukraine's 3 million hectares of protected natural territories have been bombed, polluted, burned or damaged by military maneuvers.

Earlier, EcoPolitic wrote, that at the UN conference "Environment for Europe", the ministers and heads of delegations of the participating countries signed a declaration that the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources called historic for Ukraine.

As EcoPolitic previously reported, the Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Ruslan Strilets said that Ukraine will initiate the creation of the Global Platform for the development of international methods for assessing environmental damage from military operations.

Related
Weekly roundup of environmental crimes: battling developers, tree felling, and mineral resource theft
Weekly roundup of environmental crimes: battling developers, tree felling, and mineral resource theft

Specifically, in the Kharkiv region, authorities are seeking to impose a fine of over 100 million hryvnias on a company for the illegal extraction of loam and clay

Digest of environmental crimes of the week: fight against developers, tree felling, and theft of mineral resources
Digest of environmental crimes of the week: fight against developers, tree felling, and theft of mineral resources

Specifically, in the Kharkiv region, authorities are seeking to recover more than 100 million hryvnias from a company for the illegal extraction of loam and clay

In which regions of Ukraine is it prohibited to spend time in the woods?
In which regions of Ukraine is it prohibited to spend time in the woods?

In most regions, forest areas are completely off-limits to civilians

Residents of the Zhytomyr region took to the streets to protest against illegal logging
Residents of the Zhytomyr region took to the streets to protest against illegal logging

People consider police efforts ineffective, and suspect unscrupulous tenants of the illegal logging