Ukraine is proposing the introduction of "Aggressor refunds" and advocating for the inclusion of such a mechanism in the Paris Agreement. Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Ruslan Strylets emphasized this during a press conference at the COP28.
"We propose jointly with the international community to develop a mechanism for compensating the aggressor for the damage inflicted on the environment and climate due to armed conflicts. Emissions of greenhouse gases during wars should be the responsibility of the initiator of such a war. While the world is trying to reduce the carbon footprint on the planet, Russia is undermining these efforts every day," stated Ruslan Strylets.
The Minister provided the following examples:
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Greenhouse gas emissions from the war in Ukraine already exceed Austria's emissions. A year ago, we discussed 97 million tons of CO2 emissions. Today, it is already 150 million tons of CO2.
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A year ago, the area of burned Ukrainian forests was 25.8 thousand hectares. Currently, Ukraine has burned as much forest as Montenegro has on its land. The potential of Ukrainian forests to absorb greenhouse gases is decreasing annually by 175 thousand tons of CO2 equivalent.
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Due to the explosion of the Kakhovka HPP in Ukraine, almost 10 thousand hectares of internationally significant wetlands have been destroyed. These territories could potentially absorb up to 20 thousand tons of CO2.
"All this is about accelerating climate change on the planet. Yes, Russian missiles do not fall on Paris, Berlin, Mexico, or Canberra. But their consequences are felt by people on all continents. Yes, world capitals may not smell the smoke of burned Ukrainian cities. But the greenhouse gases formed as a result of fires have filled the atmosphere of all countries. The environment will not remain silent. It will respond in the language of cataclysms, floods, tsunamis, earthquakes," emphasized the Minister.
According to him, that's why Ukraine is doing today what no one has done in the entire history of humanity. Tools are being created to help the world prevent wars and armed conflicts in the future. This is President Volodymyr Zelensky's "Peace Formula" – 10 points that cover all spheres of global security. Point 8 is the cessation of crimes against the environment and the restitution of reparations to Ukraine for environmental destruction. This is the Environmental Declaration, the project of which was presented in October during the International forum United for Justice, United for Nature. We call on all countries of the world to join Ukraine's initiatives and contribute to collective efforts to protect the environment and climate from military actions.
