Russia was one of the world’s leading exporters of fossil fuels. Oil and gas have become more expensive in the wake of the war against Ukraine, as Russia has suspended gas supplies to several EU member states and at the same time they want to reduce their dependence on Russia and thus import as little oil as possible (Europäischer Rat 2023). Higher energy prices affect the cost of living, increase inflation and market volatility, and negatively impact global poverty (Schwarze 2022a). To counteract this, some countries are focusing on forms of energy that are harmful to the climate, which actually have to be reduced in accordance with the Paris Agreement in order to approximate the 1.5°C target. In the interest of climate protection, the opportunity should now be seized to prioritise renewable energies and to operate energy-efficiently instead of increasing the use of coal and nuclear energy again (Schwarze 2022a).

The economic and financial sanctions against Russia as well as the war damage in Ukraine lead to global financial risks. These include, for example, rising inflation, expensive commodity prices, fluctuating exchange and stock prices, spreads of government bonds, as well as tightened financial conditions and capital flows. Due to globalisation and multiple trade and financial interdependencies, negative effects were already felt in these sectors at the beginning of the war. The exclusion of Russian banks from the international payment system SWIFT can also lead to distortions in the financial system. Further systemic risks emerge against the backdrop that the global economy is still affected by the COVID pandemic, inflation forecasts are rising and thus planned funds (e.g. for sustainable development, humanitarian aid, education and social policy, but also for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, disaster risk management and climate change adaptation) may be diverted (Schwarze 2022a).

War poses a high risk to the environment, both regionally and globally. The use of firearms leads to increased forest fires, which not only pollute the environment, but also pose a health risk due to the pollutants released. The use of toxins as well as radioactive substances additionally pollutes air, water and soil, but also the health of the population. There is evidence of severe air pollution, soil degradation and greenhouse gas emissions as a result of the intense fighting (Pereira et al. 2022). Health risks additionally arise from outbreaks of infectious diseases, as hygienic and medical standards often cannot be maintained in war zones. The longer the war in Ukraine lasts, the more the risk of disease outbreaks increases, as the link between war and disease outbreaks has been known for centuries (Schwarze 2022a).

The Ukraine war has given civil defence a new significance. Now, Germany shall not only meet NATO’s two percent budget target, but the Bundeswehr, Military of Germany, will also receive a special fund of 100 billion Euros. In addition, funds are also planned specifically for civil defence, as this is not prepared for possible threat situations due to the perceived security up to now (BMVG 2022).