The Berghof Foudation shares insights from Lviv, Ukraine, on how vital environmental peacebuilding efforts can be to restore the environment and build sustainable peace – already in the midst of war.

The war induced “ecological crises” in Ukraine: “Amidst the conflict’s chaos, the environmental degradation in Ukraine unfolds silently but catastrophically”. A workshop facilitated by the Berghof Foundation brought together a diverse group of experts working on counteracting the additional risks of environmental degradation for social cohesion and fostering a broader sense of ownership and empowerment among community members. One major insight was the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration with the aim to further solidify the bond between societal healing and ecological restoration.

“The discussions not only centered around the consequences of war but also focused on shaping an integrated approach to restore the environment and build sustainable peace.” One outcome of the exchange was a set of recommendations aimed at enhancing the integration of environmental considerations into broader peacebuilding efforts: “These include the establishment of an interdisciplinary platform for environmental peacebuilding, the promotion of sustainable development projects that integrate environmental aspects, and the strengthening of grassroots mobilisation to enhance community resilience and cohesion.”

Read the full blog post on the website of the Berghof Foundation.