Ukraine blocks Russia’s chairmanship in Black Sea environmental commission

Ukraine has successfully blocked Russia from assuming the chairmanship of the Commission for the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution, as reported by Ukraine Ministry of Energy and Environmental Protection on 16 October.

Russia’s actions in the Black Sea have caused severe ecological harm by disrupting salinity levels, triggering toxic cyanobacteria blooms, contaminating ecosystems with heavy metals, threatening fisheries with sea mines, and contributing to the deaths of at least 5,000 endangered dolphins.

The 44th meeting of the Commission, which took place on 16 October, was expected to see the transfer of chairmanship from Romania to Russia. However, this transition did not occur as planned due to Ukraine’s opposition.

Olena Kramarenko, First Deputy Minister of Environment of Ukraine, stated during the meeting,

“Even the idea of Russia chairing this commission is absurd. The Ukrainian side believes that the aggressor country, which has launched a war against Ukraine as a party to the Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution, and because of which it is impossible to implement the convention and the strategic action plan for the Black Sea, cannot chair such an international institution as the Black Sea Commission.”

The Black Sea Commission is an intergovernmental organization responsible for implementing the Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution. It establishes the legal framework necessary for regional cooperation and activities aimed at reducing pollution and strengthening the protection of the marine environment.

All countries with access to the Black Sea are parties to the convention, including Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Türkiye, Ukraine, and Russia.

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