Kyiv, 28 February 2023 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, in partnership with the Professional Association of Environmentalists of Ukraine and with financial support from the European Union (EU), organized “Forests of Ukraine: European Integration, War, Climate Change and Modern Reforms”, an interregional educational and practical forum that took place on 21–22 February 2023.

More than 150 participants – from legislative and executive authorities, non-governmental organizations, socially responsible businesses, and including leading national and international experts, scientists, and innovators – joined the event in Kyiv, and online.

The forum was designed to come up with proposals to preserve and restore forests; assess current forestry reforms in the context of war, the energy crisis and economic recovery; popularize international experience; and enable professional networking.

Martin Schroeder, acting Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Ukraine, said that ecological violations and damage had been growing exponentially due to the Russian war of aggression. “We are honoured to have initiated an extensive dialogue on Ukraine’s forest rehabilitation after the hostilities, and in advance of future integration into the European nature network,” he said. “This forum laid a solid foundation for future interregional cooperation and sustainable partnerships in this area.”

Jaco Cilliers, UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine, said that the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine damaged almost a third of Ukraine’s forests. “With reliable support from the European Union, UNDP is proud to be a strategic partner with governmental bodies and leading environmental NGOs in our joint efforts to support the forestry sector and popularize the best solutions,” he said. “It is not an easy journey, but we are grateful to the professional community for their dedication.”

Background

The forum was organized by UNDP in partnership with the Professional Association of Environmentalists of Ukraine in the framework of the United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme (UN RPP) with financial support from the EU.

The UN RPP is being implemented by four United Nations agencies: the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Eleven international partners support the Programme: the EU, the European Investment Bank (EIB), the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, and the governments of Canada, Denmark, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and Switzerland.

Media inquiries: Yuliia Samus, UNDP Ukraine Head of Communications; e-mail: yuliia.samus@undp.org