EcoLens Impresses Guests at COP29

The focal point of the Ukrainian pavilion at the international climate conference COP29 is a platform showcasing VR content about war-torn nature. How do viewers describe their impressions? Who came up with the idea, and who created this unique VR experience?

EcoLens is a collaborative project by two NGOs, SaveDnipro and UAnimals. Why did they choose to turn to immersive technologies? Irina Chernysh, the head and co-founder of SaveDnipro, explains:
“COP29 is an international platform where Ukraine must be heard. However, when you speak about the catastrophic impact of war on the environment for the third consecutive year, the world, unfortunately, starts to grow accustomed to it. That’s why we – SaveDnipro and UAnimals – turned to a technology that quite literally immerses the viewer in the reality of war-torn nature.
We believe that guests of the Ukrainian pavilion, who will physically feel the pain of Ukraine’s environment, will heed our calls to punish the aggressor for environmental crimes, compel Russia to compensate for the damage caused, and contribute to the restoration of destroyed ecosystems.”

The immersive content was created by Mriya Production, Ukraine’s leading developers of immersive communications and winners of prestigious international creative festivals such as the Cannes Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival, Ciclope Festival (Berlin), and others. The 360° artistic visuals are enhanced by spatial audio, amplifying the emotional impact on the viewer.
Artem Ivanenko from Mriya Production shares his insights:
“We’re often asked why we chose this format. My answer is that, after three years, the topic of war has become peripheral for many people around the world—they’ve ‘grown tired’ of it. Adding dry statistics to this topic pushes our issues to the margins of the informational field. That’s why we chose to target the audience’s basic senses.
Through this immersive experience, we channel information straight to the viewer’s heart, placing them at the center of the events as the main protagonist. This approach etches the emotion—and, along with it, the message we want to convey—deep into their memory.”

Before the demonstration begins, viewers are warned that the content includes sensitive scenes—and for good reason. Some viewers are moved to tears by what they see. The VR film portrays the deaths of dolphins in the Black Sea, wildfires caused by shelling, and the deaths of animals due to landmines. It also highlights the consequences of the Kakhovka Dam explosion, attacks on Ukraine’s energy system, cross-border air pollution, and the looming threat of a nuclear incident at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP).
Olena Romaniukova, the author of the concept and project lead of EcoLens at SaveDnipro, emphasizes that creating the VR content involved thorough research of photo and video materials from affected regions of Ukraine, ensuring maximum authenticity in the visualizations.
From the first days of the conference, the VR platform has attracted immense interest from pavilion visitors. The flow of people eager to experience the immersion has been so continuous that the headsets occasionally require breaks for recharging. You can watch our video to see the raw reactions of pavilion guests (video by UAnimals).
The mission of the EcoLens project goes beyond showcasing a devastated environment—it also advocates for justice for Ukraine. Oleksandr Todorchuk, founder of UAnimals, speaks about this aspect of the project:
“Even when the fighting stops, and the shells and rockets cease to explode, humanity will continue to feel the consequences of Russia’s crimes against nature. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, UAnimals has been working to have ecocide recognized as a crime and urging the world to act now. Reality is shaped not by artificial intelligence but by people. The kind of future we live in depends on us. For now, our reality is a world where Russia destroys everything around it with impunity.”

After watching the VR content, Victoria Voitsitska, Advocacy Director of the NGO SaveDnipro, engages with the audience. She explains the importance of supporting Ukraine in holding those responsible for war crimes against the environment accountable, ensuring the aggressor country compensates for the damages, and fostering the restoration of the environment. Guests are invited to leave their feedback in a special guestbook.
The project was implemented by the NGOs SaveDnipro and UAnimals with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation and CEO Club. Thanks to collaboration with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, the project team had the opportunity to attend COP29 as part of Ukraine’s official delegation.