Ukraine and Brazil are sharing their experiences in investigating and compensating for large-scale environmental damage

On October 1, 2026, with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation, the Ukraine Accountability Collaboration Platform held an online meeting dedicated to investigating, documenting, and providing compensation for large-scale environmental damage. The International Public Organization “Ecology-Law-Man” (EPL) co-organized the event and participated in the discussion.

The main focus of the event was examining Brazil’s experience in addressing the consequences of large-scale environmental disasters (in particular, the dam failures at Fundão and Brumadinho). For Ukraine, where environmental destruction is occurring amid an ongoing war, the Brazilian case serves as a valuable example of combining legal liability, compensation mechanisms, and environmental restoration.

Ukrainian experts and representatives of government agencies spoke during the session:

• Kateryna Polyanska (EPL) presented Ukraine’s experience in documenting the impact of hostilities on natural ecosystems and emphasized the need for systematic recording of damages for future claims.
• Hanna Vronska (Supreme Court Justice) outlined the principles and methodologies for assessing environmental damages.
• Ihor Karaman (Damages Registry for Ukraine) shared details about the workings of the international compensation mechanism.
• Boris Indychenko (Head of the Specialized Environmental Prosecutor’s Office of the General Prosecutor’s Office) spoke about the progress of investigations into war crimes against the environment.
• Natalia Hendel (Foundation for the Support of Fundamental Research) addressed the issue of the Russian Federation’s liability under international law for the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant.

The participants concluded that the response to environmental crimes should not be limited to merely documenting the damage. Further cooperation between Ukrainian and Brazilian experts will help develop effective models for post-war reconstruction and holding the aggressor accountable.

Source: https://geonews.com.ua