Forum on the Environmental Impact of the Kakhovka Dam Destruction and the Green Recovery of Ukraine

On 28 November 2024, experts gathered to discuss the consequences of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station's destruction and strategies for Ukraine’s sustainable recovery. The disaster, which caused severe environmental damage, continues to impact communities, natural resources, and ecosystems.

The forum featured two thematic panels: one on social and health challenges of the disaster, and another on legal accountability of the aggressor state and green recovery. A key highlight was the presentation of a pilot study by international environmental organizations, analyzing bottom sediments from the Zaporizhzhia region and soils affected by missile strikes. The study revealed profound ecological changes due to both the dam collapse and ongoing hostilities.

Representatives from government agencies, international organizations, academia, and civil society participated, including officials from Ukraine’s Ministry of Environmental Protection, UNEP, the State Environmental Inspectorate, and other key institutions. Among the speakers were Pier Carlo Sandei, Senior Programme Officer at UNEP in Ukraine; Olena Kryvoruchkina, Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management and Member of Parliament of Ukraine; Dmytro Zaruba, First Deputy Head of the State Environmental Inspectorate of Ukraine; Oleh Bihdan, Head of the State Environmental Inspectorate for the Southern District; Serhii Sologub, Head of the State Environmental Inspectorate for the Prydniprovskyi District; Valerii Stankevych, representative of the O.M. Marzeiev Institute for Public Health of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine; and Vladyslav Ihnatenko, representative of the Specialized Environmental Prosecutor’s Office.

As part of ongoing recovery efforts, UNEP, in partnership with UNECE, OECD, and NGO INPOLIT—supported by funding from the Czech Republic and Japan—has launched a project to improve environmental monitoring and data-driven decision-making. This initiative includes sediment sampling to assess potential toxicological risks, particularly for agriculture.

The forum has therefore served as a vital platform for shaping policies and initiatives to restore ecosystems and support Ukraine’s long-term sustainable development.

You can find a video on behalf of the forum by this link

Forum ENG_short.pdf

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