Where Are You, Greta Thunberg?
It’s the sixth of June, 2023. As of 18:53(GMT+3), I see no reaction from leading eco-activists. They seem not to notice the enormous environmental crisis unfolding in Ukraine. Russian destroyed our Kakhovka Hydroelectric Station on the Dnieper River. Many villages and towns are under the water, people are leaving their homes, and many animals are simply dying because it’s impossible to evacuate them. Moreover, this disaster can cause serious climate change: the entire south of Ukraine can become a desert very quickly. Why do they keep silent?
You can see the screenshot from Greta Thunberg’s Facebook page:
Ok, maybe she has no time for that. She is an activist, not an organization. What about Greenpeace? It is a huge international NGO that has a big staff. But that’s what I see on their Facebook:
Yes! Greenpeace International, the big environmental organization, sees nothing!
You may think that I’m too emotional about that. It’s true because my country is suffering from this war. But the crime Russians committed today has a much deeper impact than it might seem. Let’s take a closer look at it.
Agriculture
Ukraine had good agriculture before this war. Water from the Kakhovka reservoir fed fields of rice, watermelons, tomatoes, fruit gardens, greenery, etc. It will be impossible to grow many crops because of water shortage in the future. It’s already hard to do because of the Russian invasion but the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Station’s dam makes it simply unreal because the region is turning into a desert.
Nuclear disaster
Water from the Kakhovka reservoir helps to cool the nuclear reactor of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Now it’s safe but water shortage can make it dangerous. The reactor needs to be continuously cooled: otherwise, it will simply explode.
Manufacturing problems
There are many plants that depend on the water from the Kakhovka reservoir. Now they will be forced to stop their business and many people become unemployed.
Water shortage for utilities
Many Ukrainian villages and towns depend on the Dnieper water. It’s only a matter of time before their inhabitants will start suffering from the water shortage.
Environmental problems
As I’ve mentioned above, the Ukrainian south can become a desert or a half desert. What does it mean for animals? Disaster. They are suffering from flood now but it’s temporary. When the reservoir becomes empty they’ll have to leave the region or die.
It’s only a short list of potential problems the region may face. I’m sure the experts can give you much more detail. That’s why I don’t understand the eco-activists’ silence. Or do they see the environmental problems only in Western countries?
UPD. On 8th of June Greta Thunberg responded on Twitter, calling the disaster as ecocide and retweeted the official Ukraine account’s post. I appreciate that. As we, Ukrainians, say, “later is better than never”.
Greenpeace International responded as well — on the 7th of June:
