The Environmental Consequences of Conflict With Alexei Ovchinnikov

This episode features a conversation with Alexei Ovchinnikov, Editor-in-Chief of the Ukraine War Environmental Consequences Work Group. It was recorded in person, in Tbilisi, Georgia, in August, 2024, at the n-ost conference for climate journalism. It is one of four episodes dedicated to issues complicating climate communication in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus region. 

Alexei is a Belarusian environmental activist, journalist, researcher, and member of Green Network, an environmental organization in exile. 

He was an author and co-editor of independent Belarusian environmental media outlet, Green Belarus, as well as an author and co-editor of Ukrainian regional environmental protection platform, Eco.Rayon.

In September 2021, he left Belarus for political reasons, first living in Ukraine and now in Georgia. At the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Alexei started to analyze and report on the environmental consequences of the conflict. 

Today, he continues his environmental activities in exile, organizing local environmental meetings and workshops, and advocating for international recognition of ecocide. 

Amongst other things, Alexei and I discussed climate propaganda, the need to perform due diligence when reporting on the environmental impacts of war, and the surprising solutions stories coming out of Ukraine.

Additional links:

Check out the Ukraine War Environmental Consequences Work Group website

Read about the Kahovka dam incident

Learn about the impacts of the war on forests

Alexei’s profile on the n-ost website

Visit the Razom We Stand website

Check out Ecoaction.ua