Environmental Compensation After War: International Precedents and Prospects for Ukraine’s Claims

The environmental consequences of Russia’s war against Ukraine will outlast the destruction that is visible today. Contaminated land and water, damaged ecosystems and war-related greenhouse gas emissions create costs that extend across generations and, in the case of climate impacts, beyond national borders. How can these costs be addressed, and what role can international compensation mechanisms play in supporting environmental recovery?

The experience of the United Nations Compensation Commission following Iraq’s invasion and occupation of Kuwait demonstrates that compensation for war-related environmental damage is possible. It also raises questions about the conditions that make it work: the evidence required, the valuation of environmental losses, the international agreements underpinning a compensation mechanism and the availability of funds. Which lessons can inform Ukraine’s efforts, and where will different approaches be needed?

Ukraine is building the evidence base for this process. The State Environmental Inspectorate’s Register of Environmental Damages, developed with support from UNDP and Sweden, brings together records and supporting materials on damage caused by the war. Its potential contribution to claims submitted to the international Register of Damage for Ukraine (RD4U) brings a broader challenge into focus: how can documented harm become an enforceable claim and, ultimately, resources for environmental restoration?

The panel will bring together Ukrainian institutions and international experts to examine the distance between recognising responsibility and securing compensation. Using Ukraine’s documentation efforts as a practical starting point, participants will discuss what national institutions and international partners can do now to strengthen the prospects for redress. The discussion will also consider how compensation can address long-term ecological losses and climate impacts, while responding to recovery needs that cannot wait for claims to be resolved.