Eco-solutions: Kyiv's botanical garden planted with live seeds from COP-29 Climate Summit's ecopaper
Photo: Suspilne Novyny / Anastasiia Karnaukh
On December 4, a one-of-a-kind eco-friendly paper containing live seeds was seeded in the Mykola Hryshko National Botanical Garden's greenhouse, located within the Ukrainian pavilion at the UN Climate Summit COP–29. This pavilion served as a powerful representation of Ukraine's resilience in the face of war's destructive aftermath, showcasing the strength of nature.
Suspilne.Kyiv reported that.
It should be noted that Ukraine has presented its pavilion at the COP, the largest annual international climate conference, for the third time.
In 2024, the pavilion's concept is centered around collaboration, leading to significant transformations. The predominant material used for constructing the pavilion is eco-friendly Ukrainian paper embedded with living seeds of diverse grasses. Renowned artist Oleksandra Zhumailova has adorned it with a massive image spanning over 120 square meters, showcasing 50 crucial environmental endeavors by Ukraine's government, enterprises, and citizens.
"Thanks to the virtual reality zones, visitors to the pavilion could see with their own eyes the Ukrainian forests and fields destroyed by Russia, as well as fly over the Kakhovka reservoir, the site of the largest man-made environmental disaster, and see the miracle of natural restoration – a willow forest that grew in its place," the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources noted.
After the climate conference in Baku, the pavilion was dismantled, and fragments of its walls with flower seeds went to the botanical garden in Kyiv and Ukraine's partner countries.
Photo: Suspilne Novyny / Anastasiia Karnaukh
"That is, Ukraine's key partners receive a box in which there is a part of the Ukrainian pavilion in a frame as a reminder that this pavilion is about a country that is recovering, that is reborn, that is moving forward despite a full-scale war.
There is also paper with seeds and instructions on how to plant it. We hope to see many, many publications in the spring showing how this Ukrainian weed has sprouted," Gres Todorchuk's co-founder Yaroslava Gres said.
Photo: Suspilne Novyny / Anastasiia Karnaukh
According to Anna Anokhina, co-founder of the company Paperiia, the sheets of eco paper are made of 90% recycled notebook scraps. During the production process, flower seeds, including poppy, petunia, and marigold seeds, are added to the mixture.
"We purchase notebook scraps from various offset factories in Ukraine. That is, what should go to the trash is recycled and made into our paper. Then, these scraps are ground with water, flower seeds are added, and we have special frames to pour this paper. This is completely handmade," Anokhina said.
For reference:
The 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP) was held in Baku from November 11 to 22.
As noted by the Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, Svitlana Hrinchuk, the task of the Ukrainian delegation was to demonstrate the consequences of Russian aggression on Ukraine's environment.
Participants reached a significant agreement regarding climate funding at the UN Climate Summit COP29, held in Dubai. Following extensive discussions, nations have committed to providing $300 billion annually until 2035 to aid vulnerable countries impacted by climate change.
