Rebuilding Ukraine
Even as Russian aggression continues.
From WePlanet Ukraine:
Even in the midst of war, rebuilding can’t wait. Our national team in Ukraine has been closely monitoring the state of reconstruction—from energy resilience to environmental restoration. This October update shows how Ukraine is confronting crisis with innovation, courage, and a commitment to sustainability. There are hard choices ahead, but also real signs of hope.
Rebuilding and related issues in the international context
The UNDP and Swedish contribution in the environmental control in Ukraine
The United Nations Development Program in Ukraine has transferred 10 specialized vehicles equipped for rapid analysis, collection, and transportation of water and soil samples to the State Environmental Inspectorate of Ukraine.
These new mobile laboratories will boost the ability of environmental inspectors to respond quickly in regions where experiments are being conducted to implement preventive measures for state environmental control, including documenting damage and losses caused by russian aggression. The purchase of this equipment was part of a project on environmental damage assessment, supported financially by the Government of Sweden. The project also includes training specialists and improving assessment methodologies to meet international standards.
The vehicles feature unmanned quadcopters for safe territory exploration, equipment for soil and water sampling aligned with national and international standards, and portable refrigeration units for proper sample storage. Each laboratory has a satellite Internet system to enable communication in the field. The mobile laboratories will become part of the infrastructure of new environmental control points. An innovative model already being tested in six regions of the country.
This marks a practical step toward ensuring that environmental control in Ukraine aligns with EU standards.
Rebuilding and related issues in the national context
The economy in the war
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine proposed increasing the expenditure side of the 2025 budget by an additional UAH 324.8 billion (EUR 676 million), allocating these funds for defense. This is not a gesture of generosity but a necessary response to military challenges, as the Ministry stated.
Adjusting the budget during the year is not unusual. For example, in 2023, the defense budget was increased twice (by UAH 537 billion in March and by UAH 303 billion in October). In 2024, it was increased by UAH 500 billion in September.
During a war, the situation at the front and the needs on the ground change faster than can be predicted in planning. Therefore, the decision was driven by the frontline’s dynamics and the constantly changing conditions of combat.
This time, a notable detail is that part of the funds is planned to be taken from resources designated for 2026 under the ERA Loans initiative (the EU and the G7 countries).
The ERA Loans (Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration Loans) initiative is one of Ukraine’s financing mechanisms created by the EU and G7 countries. The source is the so-called “exceptional revenues” from Russia’s frozen state assets. Previously, Ukraine could not use ERA Loans directly for defence needs, due to restrictions, but the government is now trying to change this.
Of the budget increase, UAH 294.3 billion is planned to be financed with ERA funds. This significantly shifts the financing approach, as resources allocated for 2026 are now redirected to the current year. Additionally, the government expects about UAH 20 billion from increases in personal income tax and military fees. They also plan to save another UAH 10.4 billion through non-military funds.
The government emphasized these measures are the “forced necessity.”
The energy sector resilience and further development
The Ministry of Energy supports the idea of implementing SMRs in Ukraine. A specially established interdepartmental working group will develop an action plan for deploying SMR. In addition to experts from the ministry and industry enterprises, it includes representatives of central executive bodies, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and other relevant institutions. The plan will feature comprehensive analysis of the best global practices for deploying SMR, assessing potential risks, identifying suitable sites for SMR deployment in Ukraine, and examining financial capabilities and investment tools, among other key aspects.
According to the Ministry, small modular reactors are a promising yet relatively new technology worldwide, currently in the research and demonstration stage, with practical steps to build them taken in only a few countries. Therefore, it remains important to study their economic feasibility, technical capabilities, issues related to spent fuel management, radioactive waste, and maintaining high standards of nuclear and radiation safety.
Currently, in cooperation with the USA, the prospects of deploying SMR at Ukrainian heat-electric power plants and large energy-consuming enterprises is under study in the frame of Phoenix Project, which aims to transition the Ukrainian energy sector from coal-fired power plants to small modular reactors, and the Hephaestus Project aimed to modernize the Ukrainian steel industry through innovative solutions.
SMRs deployment would be of the great importance for the post-war development of the country.
Meanwhile, the relentless russian attacks on the energy infrastructure on the eve of the winter season demand urgent measures alsready now. For example, by the end of 2025, the Kyiv City State Administration plans to put seven mini heat power production stations into operation, strengthening Kyiv’s energy security and ensuring the uninterrupted supply of critical infrastructure. The new mini stations will be located in different districts of the city and are designed to guarantee the decentralized supply of electricity to hospitals, boiler houses, pumping stations, and other critical infrastructure facilities in the event of emergencies or potential outages.
Environmental consequences update
The new, comprehensive overview of CO₂ emissions caused by the war was published in Ukraine.
During the three years of conflict, 236.8 mln tons of CO₂ equivalent were released into the atmosphere. The economic assessment of the climate damage exceeds USD 43 billion, calculated using the social value of carbon (USD 185 per ton).
The largest sources of emissions are hostilities - 81.7 mln tons (fuel consumption, destruction of equipment, ammunition, fortifications, etc.), renovation of damaged infrastructure - 64.2 mln tons, and fires in ecosystems - 49.4 mln tons.
Strikes on energy infrastructure caused 17 mln tonnes of emissions, including methane and sulfur hexafluoride - a greenhouse gas that traps heat 24,000 times more than CO₂. Rerouting flights through closed Ukrainian airspace added over 20 mln tonnes of extra emissions in three years, as flights between Europe and Asia became 2-3 hours longer.
The study conducted by the War Greenhouse Gas Accounting Initiative, used a specially developed methodology from the Conflict Emissions Assessment Guide presented at COP29 in Baku.
It is the first survey in the world to assess the climate damage of war during the conflict itself.
Rewilding in the wartime
Despite the war, the ecosystem in the Ukrainian part of the Danube Delta is being restored. Thanks to rewilding projects started before the full-scale invasion, but continued after russian aggression has began, water flow and wetlands are gradually increasing, wild animal populations are growing, and this benefits local communities.
On the 3,500-hectare Island Ermakiv over 200 meters of dams have been removed in recent years, allowing water to flow freely again. At Lake Kartal and Lake Katlabukh (covering 68 km²), ecologists successfully restored water exchange with the Danube. The first canal was dug in 2020, and work continued in 2022.
As a result, waterfowl, fish, and other wetland species are returning. Restoring natural circulation has reduced water salinity and improved quality, creating favorable conditions for fish spawning. This is an inspiring example of nature restoration despite war.
War is war, but nature cannot wait.
Kakhovka Dam destruction in agricultural context
Ukrainian scientists and agrarians conduct research on the environmental and socio-economic consequences of the Kakhovka Dam destruction. Alongside impressive nature rewilding, some negative impacts on agriculture are observed. The water volume of the Kakhovka reservoir was 19 cubic km, with up to 3 cubic km used annually for irrigation. Water shortages have already affected grain crops and sunflowers on 100,000 hectares.
Additionally, the mid-temperature has increased in the region by 1–2 degrees. The lack of vaporization from the former artificial lake surface has influenced the frequency of rain.
Meanwhile, researchers do not advocate for restoring the former water reservoirs but suggest as a possible alternative the creation of several small local reservoirs to meet agricultural needs without disturbing the newly restored environment. They are also considering the idea of a much smaller reservoir without energy facilities.
In any case, the search for a sustainable solution to this complex socio-economic challenge continues.
Local and regional rebuilding and related initiatives
The Makariv community and asbestos waste problem
The Makariv territorial community (Kyiv region) has launched Ukraine’s first pilot project on safe asbestos waste management.
Historically, in the former USSR, asbestos was widely used in construction, water supply, heating networks, and agriculture. It posed a significant environmental and health risk even before the war due to large amounts of hazardous construction debris. This problem worsened during wartime because of extensive destruction. In rebuilding process a large volumes of destroyed materials require proper disposal, which will be carried out using modern technologies approved in many countries.
The initiative is supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).