Organisers: European School of Sustainability Science and Research, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Inter-University Sustainable Development Research Programme, European North-American Sustainability Research Consortium and Ukraine Nature Network

Format: online and in-person

These special hybrid Hamburg Sustainability sessions will address the interconnected environmental challenges of our time through the lens of polycrisis, with a focus on land degradation, forest resilience, energy security, and circular waste management. In this context, the event will also highlight the work of the Ukraine Nature Network and examine the severe environmental consequences of the war in Ukraine, including ecosystem disruption, forest damage, soil and water contamination, and pressure on waste and energy systems.

Bringing together researchers, practitioners, and institutions from different regions, the sessions will explore how science, policy, and international cooperation can support environmental protection and recovery in conflict-affected settings. Speakers and participants will explo practical toolkits and strategies for strengthening resilience, supporting nature restoration, and enabling sustainable reconstruction pathways in Ukraine and beyond.

The event will also provide a platform for global dialogue and knowledge exchange, including discussion of collaboration opportunities and financial mechanisms to support environmental action, conservation, and long-term recovery.

The Ukraine Nature Network (UNN) is a project hosted by HAW Hamburg that establishes and maintains a platform to document and disseminate information on environmental and nature conservation initiatives in Ukraine in the context of the war. It supports collaboration among academic institutions, NGOs, public authorities, and other stakeholders working on environmental recovery and sustainable reconstruction.