by Samuel Soman.
Introduction
According to the latest estimates, direct damage to Ukraine in the 2 years since Russia’s full- scale invasion has reached USD 155 billion, (Kyiv School of Economics, 2024) with economic losses amounting to USD 499 billion (World Bank, 2024). Considering an ambitious 10-year plan by the Ukrainian government and the international community, it will cost over USD 486 billion to fund reconstruction efforts (World Bank, 2024). Although devastating, this juncture can be a watershed moment for Ukrainian society to “build back better.”
Ukraine aims to capitalize upon its reconstruction to transform its economy and society to become climate resilient and inclusive. However, sustainable efforts may not seem a priority to many in the context of the ongoing war. With so much unpredictability, added costs, and long payback periods, sustainable measures may not seem feasible.
Nevertheless, this does not have to be the case. Learning from prior post-disaster recoveries, planning at the European Union (EU) and national levels can synchronize to effectively allocate resources that maximize the economic and sustainable impacts of reconstruction.This brief particularly investigates the pragmatic implementation of energy-efficiency measures in residential buildings—a tangible topic ready to be implemented during and after the war.