*[Enwl-eng] UWEC Work Group Issue # 31

[ecology]

Just transition in wartime, environmental activism during russia's full 
scale invasion, locusts and the war, the ramsar split, new sanctions

                        Just transition in wartime, environmental activism 
during russia's full scale invasion, locusts and the war, the ramsar split, 
new sanctions


                                Just transition in wartime, environmental 
activism during russia's full scale invasion, locusts and the war, the 
ramsar split, new sanctions








                                Dear Friends!

                                On September 19, the European Union approved 
a new package of sanctions against Russia. In particular, this package 
envisages a complete ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas into 
the EU starting in January 2027 (previously, the ban was planned to be 
introduced the following year), as well as more severe sanctions against 
intermediary companies, Russia’s “shadow fleet”, and Russian companies 
Rosneft and Gazprom Neft. Earlier, on September 9, the European Parliament 
noted Ukraine’s progress towards European integration, while also calling on 
the country not to lower its ambitions. For example, it encouraged the 
Ukrainian government to pay attention to compliance with European 
environmental and nature conservation standards. European MEPs called for 
all possible support for initiatives and organizations involved in analyzing 
the environmental consequences of the war. In August 2025, the Ukrainian 
government presented a 2025-2026 action plan, aimed at further progress 
toward European integration. Ukrainian environmental organizations have 
critically assessed it and noted areas for improvement. Read more about 
these events and decisions, as well as how Kamianska Sich National Park is 
experiencing Russia’s full-scale invasion, in our regular review:


                                a.. Environmental consequences of the war in 
Ukraine. August-September 2025

                                Sanctions against Russia will be effective 
when Ukraine itself reduces its dependence on fossil fuels. However, this is 
not an easy decision for a country that has relied on the wealth of its coal 
industry for many years. The abandonment of fossil fuel production should 
not be accompanied by the destruction and stagnation of coal-mining regions 
and single-industry towns. To this end, just transition programs are needed. 
Read about just transition strategies being implemented in Ukraine, despite 
the ongoing full-scale Russian invasion, in Inga Pavliy’s article, part of 
our series examining Ukraine’s coal industry:

                                a.. Just transition for coal-mining 
communities: What is it and how does it work in wartime Ukraine?

                                We are also launching a series about how 
environmental activists and organizations in Eastern Europe are surviving 
amid war, repression, funding cuts, and political pressure. The first 
article focuses on the situation in Belarus. In 2021, following the protests 
in 2020, most environmental organizations in the country were forced to shut 
down. Some activists, experts, and journalists were arrested, while others 
were forced to leave Belarus to continue their work, and still others went 
into hiding, refusing to engage in any visible activity. Almost five years 
have passed, and the situation in the country has not improved. There are 
still over 1,200 recognized political prisoners, among them environmental 
activists. Read about how Belarusian environmental organizations are coping 
with repression, the war in Ukraine, and their own challenges in the first 
article in this series:

                                a.. Environmental and climate activism in 
Belarus, Ukraine, and Georgia during Russia's full-scale invasion. Part One

                                Another serious problem this year for 
Ukraine was a locust invasion. Recalling biblical legends, it was even 
labeled an “Egyptian” invasion. However, as expert Stanislav Vitter notes, 
we are not talking about Egyptian locusts, but migratory locusts (Locusta 
migratoria). Apart from climate change, one factor contributing to their 
abnormal spread is Russia’s full-scale invasion. The destruction and 
draining of the Kakhovka Reservoir created favorable conditions for a spike 
in their population. The lack of monitoring and preventive measures, as well 
as any management whatsoever in the occupied territories, allowed the 
locusts to actively reproduce and spread throughout Ukraine. If controls are 
not implemented in the near future, next year could also be disastrous. Read 
more in Viter’s article:

                                a.. Invaders from the steppes: Locusts and 
the war in Ukraine

                                Our experts continue to analyze the 
consequences of Russia’s demarché and its withdrawal from the Ramsar 
Convention. A general trend in today’s authoritarian governments abandoning 
international environmental agreements could have serious consequences. And 
although the Russian government recently ordered increased domestic 
protections for wetlands, this does not mean that the situation has 
stabilized. Fifteen wetlands in occupied territories in Ukraine should 
continue to be protected under the Ramsar Convention, but their situation 
remains problematic. Eugene Simonov and Angelina Davydova examine the 
problem:

                                a.. The Ramsar split—was it inevitable, and 
what should be done next?

                                To continue our high-quality work, we need 
your support. Please consider a one-time or recurring donation to UWEC Work 
Group.


                                Support UWEC Work Group

                                You can read more about the environmental 
consequences of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on our website, 
Twitter (X), Facebook, Telegram and Bluesky.

                                We wish you strength, peace, and good news!

                                Alexej Ovchinnikov, Editor in Chief, UWEC 
Work Group



















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            UWEC · Charnali, 2 · Charnali 6400 · Georgia





From: UWEC Work Group <issue at uwecworkgroup.info>
Date: вт, 7 окт. 2025 г. в 10:25
Subject: UWEC Work Group Issue # 31

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