SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt — Ukraine hosted its first-ever pavilion at the United Nations Climate Change Conference at COP27 in Egypt to double down on green energy push and to highlight how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is bad for the climate.
“COP 27 is a great chance for us to communicate about our victory which to be honest, is the victory of the whole world. Because green energy is something which Putin fears a lot. And by moving to this green future by uniting people all over the world to win in this war, we are moving forward our better future,” Yuliia Solovei told Climate Depot in an exclusive interview. Solovei is a spokesman for United 24, the official fundraising platform of Ukraine.
“We are speaking about how this war and Russian terrorism affecting the climate. First time in the world’s history, country can measure the effect of the war in numbers like what’s the cost of these attacks for atmosphere? How many CO2 is in the air because of the missiles attacks?” Solovei explained.
Yuliia Solovei at Ukraine pavilion at COP27
Climate Depot asked Yuliia Solovei if the Russian invasion of Ukraine is making climate change worse and Solovei responded, “Absolutely yes. You can see videos here [of] how many forests were burned, how many animals died, how many CO2 is in the air because of the attacks. How many soils and ecosystems are damaged because this war so this was not only affecting human lives, not only killing 1000s of civilians, but it’s also killing our future in the like, climate sphere,” Solovei said.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, president of Ukraine, also addressed the UN climate summit in Egypt on November 8 via videotape, during more green energy and conceming those who don’t take climate change seriously as a threat. “There are still many for whom climate change is just rhetoric or marketing … but not real action,” Zelenskiy said. “They are the ones who hamper the implementation of climate goals, they are the ones in their offices who make fun of those who fight to save life on the planet, although in public they seem to support the work for the sake of nature.” He added, “They are the ones who start wars of aggression when the planet cannot afford a single gunshot because it needs global joint action.” … He concluded, “I invite you all to support our initiative presented here at the conference, creation of a global platform to access the impact of military actions on climate and environment.”
Zelensky also urged global support for his cause in the interests of “global climate safety,” in a statement via the COP27 Ukraine website: “To realize this potential in the interests of all of Europe and the global climate safety, we must restore international law, ensure the liberation of all our territories from russian occupiers, and guarantee a long-lasting peace.”
Via Ukraine website:
This year, Ukraine, as a long-term participant of Climate Conferences and negotiation processes, will present its pavilion at the United Nations Climate Change Conference for the first time. …
Ukraine’s participation in COP27 is the evidence that it remains committed to its climate goals. We are ready to play our role in the transformation of European energy security free from Moscow’s blackmail. And we are inviting you to the partnership. …
These climate crimes have global consequences and affect not only the future of Ukraine, but also the entire planet. You can prevent their consequences now by helping Ukraine. …
Causing serious destruction to all sectors of the economy, Russia is trying to push Ukraine and the whole world decades back. Even so, Ukraine continues to move forward, towards climate neutrality, working on the implementation of new ideas regarding the transition to renewable energy.
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The CEO of Ukraine’s biggest private power producer DTEK, said at COP27 on Tuesday that half of his company’s green energy capacity was now located in Russian occupied territory. Overall, the country has “lost about 90% of wind capacity, which is on occupied territory, and about 30% of solar” in the fighting, Maxim Timchenko said.
