At this year’s climate conference, Ukraine presented its largest pavilion yet, focusing on the theme of recovery.
The walls of the pavilion were made from eco-paper embedded with wildflower seeds, symbolizing the nation’s commitment to renewal and growth. After the conference, pieces of these walls will be planted in Ukraine’s partner countries, extending the message of sustainability beyond the event.
The pavilion features a 120 m² artwork by artist Oleksandra Zhumailova, showcasing 50 key eco-initiatives of Ukraine, including:
- Digital farming technologies
- Renewable energy and mine-clearing innovations
- Startups producing paper from fallen leaves
- Carbon dioxide-capturing technologies
- Eco-friendly alternatives to polystyrene
- Mobile factory printers
In addition, the animal rights organization UAnimals, in partnership with others, presented a “Virtual Reality Glasses of Reality” experience. This immersive exhibit allows visitors to witness the ecological devastation caused by the war, including the death of dolphins in the Black Sea, forest fires, animal casualties, the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, attacks on the Ukrainian power grid, and the looming threat of a nuclear disaster at Ukrainian nuclear plants.
The goal of the 3D installation is to make visitors witnesses to the daily environmental catastrophes occurring in Ukraine due to Russian aggression, while highlighting the need for reparations from Russia.
Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, over 6,500 environmental crimes have been committed. The volume of greenhouse gas emissions has reached 180 million tons. Nearly 3 million hectares of forests have been damaged due to the war. A total of 139,000 square kilometers of land have been mined, which is three times the size of Switzerland.
