Ukraine sues Russia. It wants 44 billion for emission damages from the war

According to Pavlo Kartashov, the deputy head of Ukraine's economy ministry, this is the first time the country has sought compensation for the climate consequences of an armed conflict.

According to expert Lennard de Klerk, emissions from fighting, burning fossil fuels or destroying forests have reached 237 million tonnes of CO2 - almost as much as the annual emissions of Ireland, Belgium and Austria combined.

The calculation is based on a study that puts the so-called social cost of carbon at $185 per tonne.

Ukraine plans to make claims through a mechanism of the Council of Europe, whose compensation fund has already received thousands of applications. Funding is not yet clear - but the use of frozen Russian assets has been mentioned.

Russia has not commented on the matter. The whole initiative was announced during the COP30 climate summit in Brazil.

(reuters, swag)