New York, 24 September 2024 - This Climate Week, a new report commissioned by the International Rescue Committee spotlights a pressing issue: how the war in Ukraine is driving environmental degradation and fueling the humanitarian crisis.
- Russia’s war on Ukraine has generated 175 million tonnes of greenhouse gases—this means more pollution in two years than the combined emissions of the five most climate-vulnerable countries on the IRC’s Watchlist: Haiti, Syria, Burkina Faso, Yemen, and Somalia, which together emitted 169 million tonnes in 2022.
- The emissions from two years of full-scale war in Ukraine exceed Haiti's carbon emissions over a decade (14.87 million tonnes in 2022).
- The drop in maize production in Ukraine (around 15 million metric tonnes) surpasses the entire maize output of Ethiopia (10.5 million tonnes in 2023/24), where climate shocks linked to El Niño will exacerbate the effects of prolonged drought.
- Nearly 29% of Ukraine’s territory needs to be surveyed for mine contamination—an area equivalent to the size of the U.S. state of Florida or Greece - with landmines polluting the soil, putting lives at risk and hindering aid delivery.
Even before the Russian invasion, Ukraine was highly vulnerable to the effects of the climate crisis, facing floods, wildfires and heatwaves. Nearly 1000 days into full-scale war, the country has witnessed unprecedented environmental degradation, while heavy fighting continues to disrupt climate mitigation efforts beyond its borders.
Bob Kitchen, IRC Vice President for Emergencies with the IRC, said:
“Heightened exposure to climate risks is threatening lives and livelihoods right now - in Ukraine and around the world. Climate change contributes to displacement and destroys people’s livelihoods. The ripple effects of the war in Ukraine continue to worsen these impacts, exacerbate human suffering, and hamper aid delivery.
“There is no doubt that the war in Ukraine is driving environmental degradation and fueling the humanitarian crisis. Continued fighting is limiting the availability of drinking water, disrupting access to farmland, and affecting air quality and greenhouse gas emissions. Landmine contamination, which now accounts for almost 30% of Ukraine’s territory, has deepened the humanitarian crisis and prolonged prospects for recovery.
“At UN Climate Week, the IRC calls for urgent attention on the impact of conflict on the environment, its long-term contribution to climate change, and the need for immediate investments in adaptation and resilience. Moreover, post-conflict recovery and reconstruction in countries like Ukraine must account for environmental damage to protect lives and livelihoods.”
Access the full report here.