Regional environmental challenges and priorities for sustainable recovery in Ukraine

Abstract

The environmental situation in Ukraine from 2022 to 2025 reflects both the destructive consequences of war and the opportunity for profound transformation. The east and south require ecosystem and water system restoration; the centre and west need sustainable land use practices; industrial hubs must modernize their production; and the Carpathians demand protection for their forests and biodiversity. Examples of successful initiatives – from restoring water supply with modern technologies to EBRD-backed metallurgy upgrades – prove that sustainable development is possible. But it requires three components: national political will and reform, international partner support, and active civil society participation. Ukraine has been given a unique chance: to turn the environmental crisis into the foundation for a new development model. If efforts are strategically united, the country can not only recover but also become part of Europe’s Green Transition, where ecology underpins economic growth, social resilience, and international cooperation.