Ukraine’s water security under pressure: Climate change and wartime

Abstract

Ukraine’s water resources depend on external water flow and are unevenly distributed across the country. Water security in Ukraine is threatened by climate-related risks, including droughts and floods, resulting in substantial economic losses. But the greatest risks to water security are posed by military operations. Russia’s occupation of the southeastern part of the territory of Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea in 2014, along with the start of a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, further worsened the state of Ukraine’s water resources. The destruction of the Kakhovka reservoir deprived Ukraine of 10% of its water resources, which were used to support the agricultural and industrial South of Ukraine. It has caused a loss of access to quality drinking water for 6 million people in Ukraine and more that 13 million people have a limited access to water for satisfying sanitary and hygienic needs. The continuation of the war will have multiple negative sustainability implications not only in Ukraine but also on a global scale, hampering the achievement of clean water and sanitation, conservation and sustainable use of water resources and energy, and food security.