SUSTAINABLE FUTURE OF THE PLANET IS IN DANGER
The war in the heart of Europe pushes back the achievement of all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals
JULIA DAVIY, CEO IMAGENERIA,
Co-Founder Institute of Green Economics NGO (Kyiv)
Published: February 25, 2022
#1 POVERTY
Budgets will be redirected from social programs
for the needs of the war and the restoration of infrastructure after its end. Furthermore, this war will create thousands of refugees, unemployed and wounded, requiring significant financial investments in rehabilitation.
#2 HUNGER & FOOD PRICES RISE
Ukraine & Russia are responsible for 1/3 of global wheat supply and have top positions in provision of some other crops, vegetable oils and food categories.
#3 THIS WAR IS A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH & WELLBEING GLOBALLY
As the Russian military is staying at the territory of the Chernobyl nuclear plant, there is a high risk of global technological disasters.
#4 EDUCATION ON A VAST TERRITORY IS DISRUPTED BY SHELLING AND MILITARY ACTIONS
#5 THE WAR IN THE HEART OF EUROPE INCREASES GENDER INEQUALITY
#6 OPEN WATER SOURCES & GROUNDWATERS IN THE HEART OF EUROPE COULD BE CONTAMINATED
Floodwaters will dissolve heavy metals like mercury, lead, and arsenic and contaminate groundwater.
Spreading of nuclear dust from Chornobyl zone by Russian soldiers alone leads to further groundwater contamination by radioactive particles.
#7 WAR COULD CAUSE DELAY IN TRANSITION TO RENEWABLE ENERGY
FOR NOW, SOME WIND, SOLAR, AND SMALL HYDRO PLANTS ALREADY DAMAGED BY RUSSIAN MILITARY IN UKRAINE.
#8 MILLIONS OF PEOPLE COULD LOSE WORK
GAS PRICES & INFLATION SKYROCKET.
ENERGY MARKETS COULD BE REBUILT WITH TURNING BACK TO "DIRTY" ENERGY. YET, IT ALSO CAN BE A CHANCE FOR FURTHER CLEAN ENERGY TRANSITION.
#9 WAR ACTIONS ALREADY SEVERELY DESTROY INFRASTRUCTURE
GOVERNMENTS AND BUSINESSES COULD PRIORITIZE SURVIVAL.
INNOVATION IMPLEMENTATION COULD BE PAUSED
#10 WAR INCREASES INEQUALITY
ALLOWING RUSSIAN AUTOCRACY TO SWALLOW THE TERRITORY OF A SOVEREIGN STATE BUILT ON EUROPEAN DEMOCRATIC VALUES COULD CAUSE A GENOCIDE IN THE HEART OF EUROPE
#11 THE WAR IN THE HEART OF EUROPE COULD DESTROY HUNDREDS OF BEAUTIFUL CITIES AND COMMUNITIES
KYIV, ONE OF THE CRADLES OF EUROPEAN CIVILIZATION, FOUNDED BACK IN 482 AD, AND THE SEVENTH BY POPULATION CITY IN EUROPE, TODAY SUFFERS MULTIPLE DESTRUCTION FROM SHELLING BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY
#12 PEOPLE RARELY THINK ABOUT RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND MANUFACTURING IN TERMS OF SURVIVAL
FURTHERMORE, THE WAR IN THE HEART OF EUROPE LEADS TO THE USE OF WASTEFUL AND POLLUTING METHODS OF PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION
#14 THE WAR IN THE HEART OF EUROPE PRESENTS A THREAT TO THE HABITATS OF LARGE EUROPEAN RIVERS AND LAKES, THE BLACK AND AZOV SEA
THEY MAY NOT SURVIVE THE POLLUTION CAUSED BY WAR
#15 WAR LEAVES NO CHANCES TO SURVIVE FOR THE WILD NATURE
UNIQUE EUROPEAN ECOSYSTEMS, RARE ANIMAL AND PLANT SPECIES LIVING ONLY HERE ARE AT A STAKE
#16 THE FULL-SCALE INVASION OF THE RUSSIAN MILITARY INTO AN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY SHOWS THE WEAKNESS OF THE GLOBAL INSTITUTIONS
FURTHERMORE, UKRAINE USED TO BE A NUCLEAR COUNTRY THAT GAVE UP NUCLEAR WEAPONS UNDER INSURANCE OF PROTECTION GIVEN BY THE UK, UNITED STATES, FRANCE, AND CHINA. ALL OF THEM SIGNED THE BUDAPEST MEMORANDUM ON SECURITY ASSURANCES. HOWEVER, THAT DID NOT PROTECT UKRAINE.
PEACE IN THE WORLD IS UNACHIEVABLE WITHOUT FULL PROTECTION OF THE UKRAINIAN SOVEREIGNTY & TERRITORY
#17 EVEN THOUGH LOTS CAN BE DONE AT LOCAL LEVELS, GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABILITY DEVELOPMENT IS HARDLY POSSIBLE WITHOUT ENDING THE WAR IN THE HEART OF EUROPE
UNITING FOR PEACE IS ESSENTIAL FOR SUSTAINABLE FUTURE