Resilience, security, and the rule of law: environmental and climate dimensions of post-war reconstruction

Panel discussion

Panel discussion
“Resilience, security, and the rule of law: environmental and climate dimensions of post-war reconstruction”

 

Ukraine’s post-war recovery is an urgent test of how societies can rebuild while protecting the environment, strengthening resilience, and upholding the rule of law. Given the enormous environmental damage, disrupted governance structures, and urgent security needs, Ukraine must navigate the complex intersection of environmental protection, climate governance, and post-war reconstruction.

This interdisciplinary panel discussion brings together Ukrainian and international experts in law, security, climatology, and governance to explore innovative approaches to reconstruction that simultaneously address environmental damage and strengthen democratic institutions. Discussions will explore how legal frameworks can ensure accountability for wartime environmental destruction, promote ecological restoration, and align Ukraine’s recovery with EU and international climate commitments.

Conducted as part of the MSCA4Ukraine research project “Towards Resilient and Resistant Climate Change Law (RESClimLaw)”. The panel will provide insights into how legal systems can effectively respond to environmental crises during emergencies and recovery, while supporting Ukraine’s sustainable and secure development.

 

Partners:

 

REGISTRATION FOR THE EVENT

22 september 2025
10.00 - 16.00
Hybrid
Registration of participants for the event
Free

WELCOME SPEECH

Anatoliy Getman

Rector of Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, Doctor of Law, Professor, Academician of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine, Honored Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine, Laureate of the State Prize of Ukraine, Honored Professor of Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University (2024).

Yulia Ovchinnikova

Member of Parliament of Ukraine, Chair of the Interfactional Deputy Association “For the Environment, Against Ecocide,” Chair of the Subcommittee on Forest Resources, Biodiversity, Natural Landscapes, Nature Reserve Objects, and Adaptation of Ukrainian Legislation to EU Law of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management, Ukrainian ecologist, candidate of biological sciences, member […]

Olena Kravchenko

Director of the International Environmental Organization “Ecology – Law – Man,” is a leading expert in environmental law, European environmental law, contemporary environmental policy, and European integration processes aimed at bringing Ukraine closer to the European Union (EU) with a view to accession. Author of numerous publications on horizontal and sectoral environmental reforms.

SPEAKERS

Oleg Bondarenko

Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management.

Topic of speech: “Prospects for the development of environmental and climate legislation in Ukraine and the status of Ukraine's implementation of its European integration commitments in this area”

Ian Monroe

Ian Monroe is a Lecturer in Earth Systems at Stanford University and founding President of Etho Capital, co-founder of the Climate+Positive Investing Alliance, and founding CEO of Oroeco. His work bridges climate science, policy, technology, and finance, with research on supply chain sustainability, climate finance, and life cycle assessment. A pioneer in climate solutions investing, […]

Topic of speech: “Climate Law in Turbulent Times: Building Resilience Through Policy, Finance, and Technology”

Richard Humphreys

Mr Justice Richard Humphreys is a judge of the High Court of Ireland. He is the Judge in Charge of the Planning and Environment Court, a division of the High Court of Ireland responsible for all infrastructure and environmental challenges. He has held that role since it was established in December 2023. He is also […]

Topic of speech: “Rule of Law for Climate and Environmental Security: Lessons from Public Law and Constitutional Resilience”

Alex Cornell Du Houx

Alex Cornell du Houx is the Director of the Public Leadership Certificate Program and adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco, where he mentors emerging leaders in governance and public service. He is also the President and co-founder of Elected Officials to Protect America, a network of policymakers advancing climate security and environmental justice. […]

Topic of speech: “Environmental Security as National Security: Pathways for Ukraine’s Sustainable Reconstruction”

Anna Ackermann

Policy analyst, Green reconstruction of Ukraine, IISD, Board member, Centre for Environmental Initiatives “Ecoaction”. Anna Ackermann is a policy analyst for the Energy team at the International Institute for Sustainable Development working on green reconstruction of Ukraine. With a background in energy, environmental and climate policy, she supports European organisations designing approaches to Ukraine’s sustainable […]

Topic of speech: “Building Ukraine Back Better: Roadmap for Sustainable and Resilient Recovery”

François Grünewald

French researcher, engineer, volunteer, leading expert in humanitarian policy, crisis management, and post-crisis reconstruction processes. He has worked for many years at the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and various non-governmental organizations. He founded the French research and analysis center Groupe URD, which specializes in crisis management, humanitarian activities, and reconstruction. […]

Topic of speech: “Climate change: challenges for Ukraine during wartime and post-war periods”

Sofiya Shutiak

Lawyer, deputy chair of the Committee on Agricultural, Land, and Environmental Law of the National Bar Association of Ukraine, practicing lecturer at the Department of Information Law of the National Forestry University of Ukraine.

Topic of speech: “Legal basis for ensuring that Ukraine's recovery is consistent with EU and international climate commitments”

Ganna Gladkykh

Ganna Gladkykh is a Policy Fellow at the Stockholm Environment Institute HQ and leads the Ukraine component of the Green Agenda for Armenia, Moldova, and Ukraine project, supporting the region’s green transition aligned with EU integration priorities. Ganna has extensive experience in sustainable transitions across Europe, with a strong background in the clean energy transition […]

Topic of speech: “Green Transition Pathways for Ukraine: Embedding Sustainability and EU Integration into Post-War Reconstruction”

Vira Balabukh

Head of the Department of Applied Meteorology and Climatology at the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Institute of the State Emergency Service and National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

Topic of speech: ''Ukraine's climate resilience: challenges and opportunities in post-war reconstruction''

Borys Babin

Doctor of Law, Professor. In 2002, he graduated with honours from the Odesa Institute of Internal Affairs with a degree in law. In 2005, he defended his PhD thesis in constitutional law, and in 2013, he defended his doctoral thesis in international law. In 2008, he was promoted to Associate Professor at the Department of […]

Topic of speech: ''International legal response to the environmental consequences of the Russian shadow fleet's activities: the example of the Volgo-Neft tanker disaster''

Lennard de Klerk

Lennard de Klerk, Military and conflict emissions expert, Initiative on GHG Accounting of War. Since 2022, Lennard has spearheaded an initiative to determine the climate impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, military emissions in general, and advancing debates on accountability for war-related emissions. Previously he managed several climate projects in the heavy industry in Ukraine […]

Topic of speech: ''Accountability for Climate Damage: Legal Pathways for Post-War Justice and Reconstruction''

Viacheslav Oleshchenko

Candidate of Geographical Sciences, Associate Professor, Honored Lawyer of Ukraine, Director of the Center for Space, Energy, Nuclear, and Environmental Law, Senior Research Fellow at the Department of Agricultural, Land, Environmental, and Space Law at the V. M. Koretsky Institute of State and Law of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Chairman of the […]

Topic of speech: ''Key priorities for the development of environmental law in the interests of ensuring sustainability, national security, and the rule of law in conditions of martial law and the reconstruction of Ukraine''

Igor Kraynov

Chief Research Scientist of the Laboratory of Engineering, Technical and Military Studies of the National Research Centre ‘IСE named after Hon. Prof. M.S. Bokarius’. Honoured Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor of Ecology.

Topic of speech: ''Lexical features of determining the level of environmental damage caused by war crimes against the natural environment under Ukrainian environmental legislation and international humanitarian law''

Vlad Mykhnenko

Associate Professor of Sustainable Urban Development, Department for Continuing Education; Fellow of St Peter’s College. Dr Vlad Mykhnenko is an economic geographer, working on a range of issues relating to urban and regional economic development, and geographical political economy. Much of Vlad’s research focusses on the interrelationship between spatial imbalances in production and income, urban […]

MODERATORS

Ievgeniia Kopytsia

PhD in Law, MSCA4Ukraine Research Fellow (University of Genoa), Associate Professor of the Department of Environmental Law at Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, Head of the Sustainable Development and Environmental Law Center.

Yevhenii Suietnov

Head of the Department of Environmental Law at Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, PhD in Law, Associate Professor, Leading Specialist at the Sustainable Development and Environmental Law Center.

Thank you for registration!!

Dear Colleague,

Thank you for registering to attend the VIII-th Kharkiv International Legal Forum.

We look forward to your participation. An official invitation would soon be sent to your email. Any queries, please email to forum@nlu.edu.ua.

See you at VIII-th Kharkiv International Legal Forum on September 23-27, 2024!

Co-Chairman of Organizing Committee
Rector of Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University
Anatoly Hetman