Ukraine’s Forestry Sector: Recovery and Resilience in Times of Climate Change and War

Ukraine’s forestry sector is on the front line of environmental, climate and security challenges. Full-scale war has caused significant damage to forest ecosystems — fires, mines and unexploded ordnance, land degradation in combat zones, etc. At the same time, climate change is putting more pressure on natural ecosystems by changing the water balance, spreading pests, and making extreme weather more common.

Despite these challenges, Ukraine has a unique opportunity to integrate the restoration of war-damaged forests, the adaptation of forests to climate change, and European standards of natural resource management into a single strategic course for post-war recovery. The event aims to highlight the role of forests and the forestry sector of the economy as a key element of Ukraine’s post-war ‘green recovery’ — for biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration and the restoration of sustainable use of natural resources.