Amid many other wartime restrictions and hardships, martial law in Ukraine has also complicated access to environmental information and limited public participation in decision-making. Despite the ongoing war, the country continues to strive to meet its international obligations and has introduced a number of important legislative reforms. However, the implementation and enforcement of these laws still lag behind. These are the conclusions of a new report assessing Ukraine’s implementation of the Aarhus Convention on environmental democracy over the past four years.
The report, compiled by non-governmental organisations Environment–People–Law, Zaporizhzhia Regional Development Agency and Czech Arnika, taking into account the accumulated experience of civil society, recognizes the exceptional pressure Ukraine faces as a country at war. At the same time, it calls for ensuring that environmental rights are not sidelined as the country focuses on survival and reconstruction.
“Environmental rights must not become another casualty of war. Ukraine is moving forward in its laws, but people still face obstacles when they try to access information, take part in decisions or seek justice,” says Yelyzaveta Aleksyeyeva from Environment-People-Law (EPL) based in Lviv
The full-scale invasion has disrupted access to many public services. In heavily affected areas, people can no longer as easily contact local authorities or obtain environmental data. Many of these regions are industrial zones that already suffered from pollution and environmental degradation before the war, which only deepens the need for transparency and oversight.
Information about the territories occupied by the Russian Federation remains extremely limited. The inhabitants there fall outside the effective protection of the Ukrainian government and international mechanisms. Environmental conditions in these areas are not being monitored or addressed, raising concerns about the scale of ecological damage.
At the national level, digital systems such as the EcoSystem platform and environmental registers remain operational, but access has been restricted to users with certified electronic signatures. This makes it difficult for people without advanced digital skills — roughly 40 percent of adults — to use them. The Aarhus Convention’s compliance bodies have confirmed that wartime alone is not a sufficient reason to limit the right to information.
Martial law has also affected public participation and access to justice. Consultation periods have been shortened, public hearings often take place online, and some reconstruction or industrial projects have been temporarily exempted from environmental impact assessments (EIA). While these steps may be understandable given the urgency of rebuilding, they risk excluding affected communities from decisions that shape their living environment. Court statistics show that the number of environmental cases has fallen by two-thirds since 2021. Non-governmental organizations also report growing difficulties in obtaining evidence and continuing legal proceedings. Still, there are examples of resilience — courts in cases such as Svydovets Massif and Rokoban Facility have confirmed that citizens’ rights to be heard and to protect nature remain valid, even in wartime.
Ukraine’s legislative framework now closely follows European standards. New laws on pollution control, industrial emissions and public consultations are steps in the right direction. Yet as the report points out, the effectiveness of these laws depends on equal access for all citizens, including those in war-affected and occupied territories.
“Ukraine has achieved real progress in environmental governance,” adds Marcela Černochová, environmental expert from Arnika and one of the contributors to the report. “The challenge now is to make sure that no one is left behind — not because of where they live, or how they can connect to information systems.”
Despite immense challenges, Ukraine’s environmental institutions continue to function and citizens are increasingly active in seeking data and participating where possible. Preserving these democratic elements is essential for Ukraine’s recovery and for its European future.
The Aarhus Convention (UNECE, 1998) guarantees public rights of access to environmental information, participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters.
