Topic: Circular economy, bioremediation, and eco-friendly construction materials in the reconstruction and recovery of war-affected territories.

Slide 2. Regional Dimension: Frontline Realities and Relocation Challenges Double Blow to the Region Large-scale destruction of infrastructure, housing, and industrial facilities is taking place against the backdrop of the adaptation of evacuated and relocated enterprises (in particular, the food and processing industries of Donbas). The "Gray Reconstruction" Trap The approach of "pouring concrete and hauling away debris" creates additional risks for the environment, water resources, and human health. WASH WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) – water supply, sanitation, and hygiene. These systems must be part of safe recovery. New Paradigm Each destroyed object can be viewed not only as a problem, but also as a potential source of secondary resources that should be utilized using modern technologies.

Slide 3. "From Destruction to Sustainable Development: A Model of Green Recovery for Donetsk Region" The infographic reflects the conceptual model of transforming war-affected territories from a state of destruction to sustainable socio-economic development in accordance with the principles of the European Green Deal and the Ukraine Facility instrument. Compositionally, the infographic is built on a contrast between two spatial zones.

Slide 4. Spatial Zones of Destruction and Restoration The left part represents the consequences of military operations in the form of destroyed residential and industrial infrastructure, environmental degradation, job losses, forced relocation of the population and enterprises, and the accumulation of significant volumes of construction and demolition waste (CDW). This segment characterizes current challenges of regional development and environmental safety. The right part demonstrates the desired scenario of post-war recovery, based on the implementation of the principles of circular economy, low-carbon production, environmentally safe infrastructure, and attracting investment in economic modernization. Visual elements symbolize new industrial enterprises, green urban infrastructure, reclaimed territories, and the integration of relocated businesses into communities. The central element of the infographic is the concept of "Green Recovery is Possible," reflecting the logic of transition:

from ruins to resources;

from challenges to investments;

from relocation to development;

from crisis state to European future.

A separate information block contains key environmental and management concepts (WASH, LCC, DNSH, CE, GPP, ESG) that serve as basic tools for implementing sustainable recovery policies. The infographic visualizes systemic interconnections between environmental restoration, production modernization, social resilience of communities, and Ukraine's integration into the European sustainable development space.

Slide 5. Primary Socio-Economic Assistance to Ukraine is Provided within the Framework of EU Enlargement Consideration of this situation in the European Parliament took place on June 23–24, 2022. Meeting Topic: BUILDING EUROPE

Adoption of the agenda Ukraine

Economic issues

Conference on the Future of Europe

A Wider Europe https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20220616IPR33216/grant-eu-candidate-status-to-ukraine-and-moldova-without-delay-meps-demand https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/CM-4-2022-INIT/en/pdf The Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to millions of people being forced to flee their homes. It is estimated that 3.7 million people are internally displaced persons in Ukraine, while about 6.9 million have sought refuge in Europe and beyond, according to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. Germany and Poland have hosted the largest number of Ukrainian refugees since February 2022. The number of recognized refugees in Europe by the end of 2021 accounted for less than 10% of the total number of refugees globally. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 led to an increase in this figure to approximately 20%. Non-EU nationals account for 6.4% of the EU population. As of 2024, non-EU nationals accounted for 6.4% of the total population. Out of 449.3 million EU residents in 2024, 28.9 million were non-EU nationals. There are non-EU countries, such as Switzerland, Australia, and Iceland, that have a much higher share of foreign-born residents. Syrians have been the main group of people applying for asylum in the EU since 2013. In 2024, Syrians, Venezuelans, Afghans, Colombians, and Turks lodged the most asylum applications, accounting for 42.8% of all first-time applicants. Syrians lodged 147,965 applications, followed by Venezuelans with 72,775 applications, and Afghans with 72,155 applications. 50,330 applicants were from Colombia and 46,835 from Turkey. Asylum and migration in the EU: facts and figures | Topics | European Parliament

Slide 6. Financial Support for Ukraine Various EU initiatives exist to support Ukraine's economy during and after the war. As of September 2025, the European Union and its countries have mobilized nearly €173.5 billion in total support for Ukraine and Ukrainians, including €3.7 billion from revenues of immobilized Russian assets. In October 2023, Members of the European Parliament improved and approved a proposal to establish a €50 billion fund (Ukraine Facility) to support the recovery, reconstruction, and modernization of Ukraine starting from 2024. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20220310IPR25208/european-parliament-launches-website-in-cooperation-with-ukrainian-parliament 01-03-2022 Sanctions Europe stands with Ukraine: Parliament calls for tougher sanctions against Russia MEPs strongly condemn Russia’s illegal invasion and call for stronger sanctions against Russia. Parliament wants more support for Ukraine and tougher sanctions against Russia https://ukraine.europarl.europa.eu/en/home Military Support The European Parliament insists that Ukraine be provided with military means to defend against Russia's invasion. As early as 2022, the Parliament called on the EU and its member states to increase their military assistance to Ukraine. In subsequent resolutions, MEPs consistently advocated for further military support for Kyiv. In a resolution adopted in March 2025 on plans to strengthen EU security and defense, MEPs insisted on lifting all restrictions on the use of Western weapons supplied to Ukraine to defend against military targets on Russian territory. Seeking Justice for War Crimes, the European Parliament demands justice for all war crimes committed by Russian troops. In a resolution adopted in 2022, the Parliament stated that Russia is a state sponsor of terrorism. MEPs emphasized the deliberate attacks and atrocities committed by Russian forces and their proxies against the civilian population in Ukraine, and also noted the destruction of infrastructure and other serious violations of international and humanitarian law. In a resolution adopted in January 2023, MEPs demanded that the Russian political and military leadership be held accountable for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. That same year, the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (ICPA) commenced its activities in The Hague. The center, which is an EU initiative, aims to investigate Russia's crimes of aggression against Ukraine and facilitate the preparation of cases for future trials.

Slide 7. "Money for Reforms": Ukraine Facility and the Local Level DNSH — Do No Significant Harm (The principle of not causing significant environmental harm, a key environmental criterion of European financial instruments).

Slide 8. Circular Economy (CE): Transforming Ruins into Resources

Slide 9. The infographic illustrates the practical application of the circular economy (CE) concept in post-war territory restoration processes and construction waste management.

Slide 10. "Circular Economy: From Construction Waste to New Resources" The foundation of the structure is a closed-loop resource use cycle, demonstrating the transition from a linear consumption model to a cyclical economic model. Unlike the traditional "extraction → use → disposal" scheme, the circular economy involves the re-engagement of materials into the production process. The infographic displays five interrelated stages: Stage 1. Generation of Construction Waste (CDW). At this stage, waste is generated as a result of the destruction of buildings, structures, and infrastructure objects. Stage 2. Waste Sorting. Materials are divided into fractions: concrete, metal, brick, wood, asphalt, and other components. Stage 3. Crushing and Raw Material Preparation. The use of mobile and stationary crushing complexes ensures the preparation of materials for recycling. Stage 4. Recycling. Construction waste is transformed into secondary raw materials suitable for reuse. Stage 5. Reuse. The obtained materials are involved in new construction, road network reconstruction, and the development of social infrastructure. The lower part of the infographic reflects the results of implementing the circular economy:

economic effect (reduction of logistics and resource procurement costs);

environmental effect (reduction of CO₂ emissions);

social effect (job creation);

security effect (reduction of illegal dumps). Construction waste can be viewed not as an environmental problem, but as a strategic resource for territory restoration and the formation of a regional circular economy.

Slide 11. Scale of European Integration Challenges: 1,875 Tasks EU National Program CMU Resolution No. 438 dated 01.04.2026 defines the implementation of over 1,600 EU law acts through 1,875 institutional and procedural tasks. Historical Experience The 2004 EU enlargement showed that the environmental acquis requires significant investments and clear transition periods. Ukrainian Challenge European integration is taking place simultaneously with the war. Practical implementation mechanisms must be launched at regional and local levels. 1,600+ EU acts 1,875 tasks local level

Slide 12. Total Inventory: Personnel, Business, and RECOVERY MODELS Inventory of Relocated Business Up-to-date data on the technological, production, and environmental status of enterprises and their modernization needs are required. CDW (Construction and Demolition Waste) – construction and demolition waste. Object-by-object inventory helps determine recovery needs and the compliance gap. LCC (Life Cycle Costing) – lifecycle cost assessment. DNSH (Do No Significant Harm) – the principle of "Do No Significant Harm." Personnel Reserve Communities' competencies passport + pool of change agents to work with European requirements. In practice, there is a lack of procedural recovery mechanisms and their control, risks of diluting the 20% climate share, and a chronic time lag (when the development of environmental capacity according to plans is postponed to 2030–2033). To overcome these systemic gaps, our Initiative proposes moving from declarations to an instrumental plane through a new key catalyst — EU Regulation 2024/1991 on Nature Restoration, integrated with the Common Agricultural Policy, circular economy, and targeted standardized procedures.

Slide 13. Bioremediation: Natural Restoration of Soils and Water Systems Environmental Consequences of War Contamination with heavy metals, petroleum products, and explosive residues, as well as the destruction of wastewater treatment plants, can cause long-term ecosystem degradation. Bioremediation The use of living organisms and biological processes to clean or restore contaminated environments. Tools Microorganisms • mycoremediation • phytoremediation • restoration of soil and water ecosystems. European Context Solutions must comply with EU legislation requirements, in particular EU Regulation 2024/1991 on Nature Restoration.

Slide 14. The infographic is dedicated to the application of bioremediation technologies for the restoration of land and water ecosystems contaminated as a result of military actions.

Slide 15. Bioremediation as an Economically Feasible, Environmentally Safe, and Long-Term Effective Mechanism for Restoring Ukraine's War-Affected Territories The visual structure is built on the principle of reflecting the process of transforming a contaminated environment into a restored ecosystem. The left part demonstrates the initial state of territories that have suffered anthropogenic load as a result of combat operations. The main pollutants identified are:

heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury);

petroleum products;

explosive residues;

persistent organic pollutants;

industrial toxicants. The central part presents the main biological environmental cleaning mechanisms: Microbial Remediation. The use of bacteria to decompose organic pollutants and transform toxic substances into less dangerous forms. Mycoremediation. The use of fungi whose mycelium can absorb and bind heavy metals and complex organic compounds. Phytoremediation. The use of plants capable of accumulating or neutralizing toxic substances in soils and water ecosystems.

The environmental recovery process is presented as a sequence of stages: Environmental Contamination → Biological Transformation → Detoxification → Ecosystem Restoration. Special attention is paid to the biological purification of water resources involving microorganisms, fungi, and aquatic plants.

The right sector of the infographic shows expected results:

reduction of pollutant concentration;

restoration of soil fertility;

improvement of surface and groundwater quality;

restoration of biodiversity;

enhancement of ecological resilience of territories. The infographic also emphasizes the compliance of bioremediation with modern European Union approaches to ecosystem restoration and the implementation of EU Regulation 2024/1991 on Nature Restoration.

Slide 16. Environmentally Oriented Construction Materials and GPP/ESG Low-Carbon Materials Geopolymer concretes, secondary mineral materials, and safe industrial waste components can reduce the resource intensity and carbon footprint of construction. GPP (Green Public Procurement) — green public procurement. Environmental criteria can cover energy efficiency, durability, resource efficiency, and reusability. Environmental criteria must be calculated according to international standards. ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) — environmental, social, and governance factors of enterprise activity, must be calculated according to international standards. For business, ESG approaches help systematize environmental and social practices and prepare enterprises for interaction with European partners.

Slide 17. Overcoming the Talent Shortage: Expert NGOs and "Knowledge Infrastructure" Management Vacuum Communities and relocated businesses often lack specialists to prepare projects, work with European legislation, and accompany grant applications. NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) — non-governmental / public organization. It can act as an expert intermediary and catalyst for change.

What We Form Methodological materials • inventory • project applications • expert support • fundraising • knowledge network. Synergy Business + LSG (Local Self-Government) + civil society + expert environment.

Slide 18. Interaction Format Business + LSG + NGO + expert environment — for the implementation of pilot green recovery projects. What Partners Receive Practical support for inventory and preparation for EU requirements; assistance with grant funding; implementation of GPP/ESG; support for veterans' social reintegration; development of circular economy. CCI (Chamber of Commerce and Industry) — chamber of commerce and industry. Enterprises of the Donetsk CCI and the Committee of Entrepreneurs of the Food and Processing Industry are invited to partnership. Practical Result Prepared communities and enterprises, pilot solutions, new projects, and investment readiness. PARTNERSHIP • BUSINESS • LSG • PILOT GREEN RECOVERY PROJECTS

Slide 19. Thank you for your attention!

Contacts: Kozlovska Maryna ecoresearch8@gmail.com

Ostapenko Anna greeneconomy.ao@gmail.com

Ostapenko Oleksii itgroupuakiev@gmail.com