Participants of the Ukrainian pavilion at the UN COP30 international climate conference in Brazil held a panel discussion on the topic 'The Forest Sector of Ukraine: Recovery and Resilience in Times of Climate Change and War'. Representatives from various countries and organizations were present, including the Brazilian Institute for the Environment, the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture of Germany, the Ministry of Climate and Industry of Sweden, experts from the World Bank and the European Commission, as well as other specialists.
Representatives from Ukraine spoke about the consequences of Russian aggression for Ukrainian forests. They emphasized that 1 million hectares of forests are temporarily occupied, up to 500 thousand hectares are mined or contaminated with explosive objects, and another 100 thousand hectares are in combat zones. Approximately 3 million hectares of Ukrainian forests have been affected by the conflict, and the area of forests suitable for economic activity has decreased by 20%.
Reforms in Ukrainian Forestry
The discussion also presented the results of reforms in the forestry sector in Ukraine. Among them:
- Creation of a digital timber traceability chain
- Distribution of management and economic functions
- Transparent sale of timber on exchanges
At the UN COP30 international climate conference in Brazil, participants of the Ukrainian pavilion discussed important issues regarding the state of the forestry sector in Ukraine, the consequences of war, and the reforms being implemented to restore forests and enhance their resilience in a changing climate.