The Russian war in Ukraine has distracted world governments from efforts to combat climate change, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday in a video message played at the COP27 summit.
“There can be no effective climate policy without the peace,” Zelenskiy said, highlighting the impact of the war on global energy supplies, food prices, and Ukraine’s forests.
The Russian war has caused chaos in global energy supplies, food prices, and Ukraine’s forests, he explained.
“This Russian war has brought about an energy crisis that has forced dozens of countries to resume coal-fired power generation in order to lower energy prices for their people … to lower prices that are shockingly rising due to deliberate Russian actions,” Zelenskiy said.
Ukraine is hosting an exhibition space this year for the first time at a UN climate conference, which is takin place this year in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
However, unlike the other booths at COP27 that are festooned in colourful logos, flags, and greenery, Ukraine’s stood out for its bleakness – covered in gravely grey to symbolise the ongoing war at home.
