Ahead of the International Expert Conference on the Recovery, Reconstruction and Modernization of Ukraine, climate justice campaigners are calling for a green reconstruction of Ukraine - an internationally assisted rapid transition away from fossil fuels in the process of relief and economic recovery.
In the early morning of October 25 activists of the Ukrainian solidarity group “Razom We Stand” have highlighted their message with a spectacular light projection in Berlin city center on the office of the German Chancellor, next to Bundestag, calling upon political and business leaders to guarantee future peace in Europe by investing in deep decarbonization and modernization of post-war Ukraine.
“Ukraine’s green reconstruction and the associated mobilization of infrastructure funds is the unique chance for Europe as a whole, as a continent, to step up and actively develop energy efficiency measures, phase out fossil fuels and switch to renewable energy sources. This is a chance to build a free, united, strong and prosperous Europe – starting from support to Ukraine’s rise from ashes of the war. With this message we are addressing today the Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President Volodymyr Zelensky, our heroic leader of free Ukraine”, - said Svitlana Romanko, Founder and Director of Razom We Stand.
"It's not about the future anymore: this year Europe has met a war in Ukraine, financed by fossil fuels the EU still relies on. Politician positions like those of Mr. Kretschmer on "renewing gas trade with Russia after the war ends" are just alarming! The war in Ukraine has just shown how Germany's green transition attempts are meager. Today It is no longer about a "Just Transition for all", today Europe needs a "Green Rebuild" that can be started with Ukraine, for safe climate and a safe energy", - said Ilyess El Kortbi, 25, Ukrainian climate activist and spokesperson with Fridays For Future.
Activists argue that aligning plans for Ukraine’s recovery after Russian aggression with the Green Deal and decarbonization goals will create a global showcase of development that respects social and climate justice. Razom We Stand and Fridays for Future call to direct the reconstruction efforts at autonomy from imported fossil fuels and launch a rapid and radical renewable energy transition in all sectors of Ukraine’s economy to achieve energy independence and secure a fossil free future for all of Europe.
“There can be no energy security with continued addiction to fossil fuels. Ukraine's and Europe’s energy security will not be able to rely on the expansion of gas infrastructure, which by its very nature is critically vulnerable to sabotage and direct military attacks, such as missile strikes or aerial drone bombardments. Chancellor Scholz and President Zelensky must face the hard truth: there can be no place for new fossil fuel infrastructure in Ukraine if democratic Europe wants to survive and thrive”, - said Svitlana Romanko.
Razom We Stand calls for expansion of German, EU and international financial and technical support for Ukraine, and for directing it into decarbonisation, EU integration, local economic resilience and energy independence starting from initial stages of recovery of the Ukrainian economy.
In the face of massive Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian civilian energy infrastructure, activists are also demanding from the EU and Germany to effectively enforce the embargo on Russian fossil fuels, support an immediate global oil price cap that was principally agreed upon by G7 finance ministers in September, and unblock massive investments in development of renewables and energy efficiency.
Razom We Stand is a grassroots organization calling for a total and permanent embargo on Russian fossil fuels and an immediate end to all investment into Russian oil and gas companies. We seek to build momentum for a redesign of the global economy, with a new clean energy plan based on renewables, freedom from petro-dictators and the complete phase-out of fossil fuels to create a more prosperous and peaceful future for Ukraine and the whole world. We act together to end fossil fuelled conflicts and climate chaos, and drive the clean energy revolution in Ukraine and globally.
Photos from the action available here: https://cutt.ly/gNt5RRQ
Press contact:
Jason Kirkpatrick, Sr. Communications Mgr., Razom We Stand
jason@razomwestand.org
