Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Research Briefing
  • Published:

Urgent action is needed to restore the water sector in Ukraine

The Russia–Ukraine armed conflict has caused far-reaching damage to freshwater resources and water infrastructure, with immediate and long-term consequences for the environment and human health. This analysis of the type, distribution and potential consequences of the water-related impacts of the conflict provides a basis for future rebuilding and restoration.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Fig. 1: The effects of conflict on the water resources and infrastructure in Ukraine.

References

  1. Water Conflict Chronology. Pacific Institute (2022); https://www.worldwater.org/water-conflict/This open-source database reports violence associated with freshwater resources and water infrastructure from 2500 bc until the present.

  2. Schillinger, J., Özerol, G., Güven-Griemert, Ş. & Heldeweg, M. Water in war: understanding the impacts of armed conflict on water resources and their management. WIREs Water 7, e1480 (2020). A review of the scientific evidence for the effects of armed conflicts on water resources and water management.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Sukhodolov, A. N. et al. in Rivers of Europe Ch. 13 (eds Tockner, K. et al.) 685–716 (Elsevier, 2022). A book chapter that presents key information about rivers in the territory of Ukraine.

  4. Ukraine Situation Report (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 19 Dec 2022); https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/ukraine/A report that gives an overview of the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.

Download references

Additional information

Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This is a summary of: Shumilova, O. et al. Impact of the Russia–Ukraine armed conflict on water resources and water infrastructure. Nat. Sustain. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-023-01068-x (2023).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Urgent action is needed to restore the water sector in Ukraine. Nat Sustain 6, 491–492 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-023-01070-3

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-023-01070-3

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing Anthropocene

Sign up for the Nature Briefing: Anthropocene newsletter — what matters in anthropocene research, free to your inbox weekly.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing: Anthropocene