Green Recovery Under Global Threats
Abstract
Today, in the world of challenges and threats facing humanity, the issue of sustainable development is of the utmost importance and requires emergency actions. Wars, natural and manmade disasters have rocked the world; destructive industry practices in countries with weak enforcement of environmental and social requirements and poor governance are just adding to the problem.
Military aggression against Ukraine has had a considerable and lasting impact on the country’s economy and led to devastating consequences for the environment and society. Already before the war, Ukraine – like many other countries – was facing significant environmental challenges, including climate crisis and biodiversity loss.
Thus, Ukraine has an extremely challenging task – rebuild and restore its infrastructure and economy destroyed by the ongoing war and at the same time continue implementing its sustainability commitments under various international treaties.
Green recovery of Ukraine is supported by a set of officially adopted packages, programs and strategies, which, however, need worldwide expertise to support ‘Build back better’, a principle for the recovery of Ukraine.
The environmental impacts of the war will not end when the war ends – the legacy of the war will continue manifesting itself in pollution and degradation of water and land resources, air contamination and generation of massive amounts of hazardous waste. Essential to bring together the stakeholders in Ukraine’s and the World’s business and institutional sectors for a frank and practical discussion on what should be done for the green recovery of Ukraine.
Speakers:
Alina Sokolenko, Head, Association of Sustainable Development Experts (ASDE), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Yevgeniya Afanasenko, Principal Environmental Advisor, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), London, UK
Serhiy Porovskyy, Chief Expert on Energy Efficiency Financing and Policy, UNIDO, Kyiv, Ukraine
Dr Bohdan Vykhor, CEO, WWF-Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
Hanna Zamazieieva, Head, State Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving of Ukraine (SAEE), Kyiv, Ukraine
Dr. Oleksandr Sushchenko, Professor at the Kyiv National Economic University (KNEU), and research fellow at the Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ Leipzig, Germany
Dr. Dariusz Prasek, Sustainability Advisory Services, London, UK
Agenda
9.00 – 9.05 AM Welcome by Alina Sokolenko, Head, ASDE
9.05 – 9.15 AM Opening Remarks by Yevgeniya Afanasenko, Principal Environmental Advisor, EBRD
9.15 – 10.00 AM | Session 1. Ukraine Recovery – challenges and opportunities
Moderator: Yevgeniya Afanasenko, Principal Environmental Advisor, EBRD
Panelists:
- Dr. Oleksandr Sushchenko, Professor, KNEU
- Hanna Zamazieieva, Head, SAEE
- Dr. Dariusz Prasek, Sustainability Advisory Services
- Serhiy Porovskyy, Chief Expert on Energy Efficiency Financing and Policy, UNIDO
Moderator: Yevgeniya Afanasenko, Principal Environmental Advisor, EBRD
10.00 – 10.20 AM | Session 2. Environment and biodiversity
Moderator: Alina Sokolenko, Head, ASDE
Panelists:
- Dr Bohdan Vykhor, CEO, WWF-Ukraine
- Yevgeniya Afanasenko, Principal Environmental Advisor, EBRD
10.20 – 10.40 AM | Session 3. Role of education and stakeholder engagement
- Dr. Oleksandr Sushchenko, Professor, KNEU
- Alina Sokolenko, Head, ASDE
10.40. – 11.00 AM Closing Remarks and Q&A
Facilitator: Alina Sokolenko, Head, ASDE
Open floor for questions