How young people are already helping to preserve Ukraine’s water resources: conclusions from a panel discussion

Climate change and war seriously affect access to fresh water in Ukraine, with critical consequences for future generations. These threats were discussed during the panel discussion ‘This is not a fashionable shade, this is the colour of Ukrainian rivers’, organised by the UNICEF Ukraine Youth Council at the COP29.

Members of the UNICEF Ukraine Youth Council Vladyslav Levchuk and Anna Husenytsia highlighted important challenges of water security, in particular

• 1.7 million children in Ukraine do not have access to safe water
• 3.4 million children do not have adequate wastewater collection facilities
• 15 million people lost access to water supply due to power outages
• ⅓ of water samples do not meet quality standards.

As part of UNICEF’s UPSHIFT programme, more than 700 youth teams have implemented projects this year that have helped more than 30,000 Ukrainians in local communities. The panellists stressed that the future of Ukraine should be built together with young people.

Olha Yukhymchuk, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection for European Integration, said that only through joint efforts can real change be achieved. Victoria Kyreieva, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, noted that Ukraine is committed to the principles of the Aarhus Convention and the importance of youth initiatives in shaping environmental policy. The artworks include posters that combine the artist’s reflections with historical contexts, enriching the public’s understanding of each integration phase and highlighting the societal changes and cultural embrace of European ideals.