One of the most important and oldest wildlife NGOs in Belarus is being closed down due to allegations of extremist activities. Conservationists warn that there will be darkness in a region known as a rich natural heritage.
BirdLife Belarus (APB), a former employer, was arrested. One of its employees has been in prison for six months. To destabilizeThe political situation in the country was described as protecting birds. A court has ordered the organisation to be established. Near the end of the month after 24 years Of work.
Wildlife scientists from Ukraine work on bat conservation and the gut microbiome for venomous snakes. are being accused of working on bioweapons. Vladimir Putin falsely claimed that many laboratories in Ukraine are using US guidance to experiment with infectious diseases, such as coronavirus.
Environmentalists in Belarus are concerned about the possibility of phones being tapped and the safety or individuals who speak out. A Guardian source said that Putin has effectively taken over Belarus.
According to the source, the darkness that has overtaken the east of the region is now catching up with those who are concerned about the environment. This is a huge blow to conservation on a global scale, aside from the injustice.
These countries are home of Polesia, which is a wetlands area that is more than twice the size of the UK (18m ha). It is also known as the Amazon of Europe because of its extraordinary biodiversity. Adham Ashton Butt, British Trust for Ornithology, has been working in the Ukrainian and Belarusian parts of Polesia. He stated that the region was politically stable in 2019, but when he returned to the region after the worst pandemic of 2021, dozens upon NGOs had been shut down. There were also a number of raids and arrests.
APB was one the last organisations that survived. He stated that increased paranoia from government had changed that. Any organization thought to be anti-government could be under threat. APB is a completely false example of this. APB was not involved in such politics. They were entirely focused on nature conservation.
Ashton-Butt claimed that the organisation had achieved incredible things with minimal resources. This included rewetting more that 17,200 hectares(42,000 acres of carbon-rich peatlands, and expanding one the largest mire complexes in Europe, bringing it up to 100,000 hectares. APB also led efforts against the E40 waterway development linking Black and Baltic Seas. Aquatic warblerFrom extinction.
Ashton-Butt stated that if conservation organisations are not able to work, it leads directly to the erosion and destruction of protected areas. He added that it was absurd to imagine Russian tanks driving through the pristine peatlands where his old job was. Some Polesia’s conservationists found themselves stuck in their homes without power or water, and have been at the center of the conflict.
APB acted as an obstacle against new development, and with the organisation gone there is more chance of large-scale infrastructure projects going through. It is clear that drainage of wetlands will continue because there is no one to oppose it. Belarus has the most beautiful forests and peatlands in Europe. They will be the last forests or wetlands in Europe if they are degraded, drained, or cut down.
As Russia’s war against Ukraine continues, and the fastest-growing refugee crises since the second world conflict unfolds, human life is paramount. The urgent focus is on providing shelter and food for the refugees fleeing Ukraine. Poland, Slovakia, and Romania, which are near the border, are helping to buy emergency supplies to be delivered to the border and to help colleagues fleeing the country.
The Frankfurt Zoological Society has been disbanded More than a thirdDue to the war in Ukraine, where its conservation work had been ongoing for 20 years, it was forced to cancel its European programme. It has supported efforts that help refugees fleeing conflict to find temporary shelter in protected areas.
Such organisations include WWFInternational Union for Conservation of Nature IUCNStatements were issued by the organizations condemning war and stating that peace is essential for nature’s survival. The destruction caused by armed conflict goes beyond the fighting itself. The UN stated in a statement that conflicts can have reverberating ecological effects that can last for decades by destroying governance. Statement.
Politically, the war risks compromising biodiversity plan of European Green Deal. The EU delayed publication of the Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive and targets for Nature Restoration, citing concerns about food safety.
More than 160 environmental NGOs have been recognized Signed a letterThe European Commission was asked by them to not delay green proposals due to the urgent need to address the climate and biodiversity crises. Instead of cutting nature’s provisions in response to war, they argue that the European Commission should cut food waste, reduce livestock numbers, rely on fertiliser, and discourage the use of food crops as energy.
Ariel Brunner, Head of Policy for BirdLife Europe & Central Asia, stated: There is a furious effort to derail them [the green proposals]Food security is a sham. The farm lobby basically says that there is a conflict in Ukraine, Ukraine won’t export grain, this will create a food security crisis, so we need to go back to producing, producing, producing, and dropping the environmental stuff.
Brunner thinks this is a dangerous move that could kill the green agenda, and inflame the next environment crisis. Scientists agree that climate change and the destruction of ecosystems are the biggest threats to our ability to feed ourselves. Therefore, it is self-destructive to use food security to avoid dealing with these issues.
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