29 October 2026
(PHOTO: ukrinform.ua)
During the 47th session of the Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution, the Ukrainian delegation blocked the transfer of the chairmanship to the Russian Federation. Ukrainian representatives emphasized that an aggressor state, which is causing enormous environmental damage to the region and violating the Bucharest Convention, has no right to head an environmental protection body.
This was reported by the Ministry of Economy and Environment of Ukraine.
In its statement, the Ukrainian side documented the environmental consequences of Russian aggression, including attacks on infrastructure, the destruction of wastewater treatment facilities, water and soil contamination, as well as damage to wetlands and the coastlines of the Black and Azov Seas.
Ukraine pointed out Russia’s violations of the Bucharest Convention, called on the contracting parties to assess Russia’s actions, and initiated consideration of procedural mechanisms to completely terminate its participation in the work of the Convention’s bodies.
The Commission for the Protection of the Black Sea against Pollution (Black Sea Commission) is an intergovernmental executive body established to implement the 1992 Bucharest Convention and coordinate the joint efforts of coastal states to preserve the Black Sea ecosystem. It comprises representatives from six Black Sea littoral states (Ukraine, Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Turkey, and Russia), and its permanent secretariat is located in Istanbul. The Commission is responsible for monitoring the quality of the marine environment, reducing pollution from land-based sources and ships, conserving biodiversity, and ensuring a rapid response to environmental emergencies and oil spills in the region.
Юлія Калабайда