Fragility, Conflict & Security: Climate Risk in Ukraine
The war in Ukraine has not only caused physical and human destruction; it has jeopardised land tenure security, leading to land grabbing by government entities, militias, organised crime groups, and political elites.
To guide land administration in Ukraine amidst conflict, the Fragility, Conflict and Security team of ESA’s Global Development Assistance (GDA) programme collaborated with the World Bank (WB). They sought to understand the impact of land grabbing on land ownership security.
Their approach included identifying those involved in land grabbing, analysing their methods, and developing criteria to anticipate future risks.
Location
Ukraine
Institutions
The war in Ukraine has not only caused physical and human destruction; it has jeopardised land tenure security, leading to land grabbing by government entities, militias, organised crime groups, and political elites.
To guide land administration in Ukraine amidst conflict, the Fragility, Conflict and Security team of ESA’s Global Development Assistance (GDA) programme collaborated with the World Bank (WB). They sought to understand the impact of land grabbing on land ownership security.
Their approach included identifying those involved in land grabbing, analysing their methods, and developing criteria to anticipate future risks.
Location
Ukraine
Institutions
The war has far-reaching consequences for land tenure security. Displacement, violence, and political instability have created fertile ground for land grabbing and disputes over property rights.
In such a volatile environment, vulnerable populations, including displaced persons and minorities, are particularly at risk of losing their land and livelihoods.
Innovative approaches are essential for protecting land tenure security. Earth observation (EO) services, data analytics, and remote sensing technologies offer valuable insights into land use dynamics, displacement patterns, and areas at high risk of land grabbing.
Location
Ukraine
Institutions
The war has far-reaching consequences for land tenure security. Displacement, violence, and political instability have created fertile ground for land grabbing and disputes over property rights.
In such a volatile environment, vulnerable populations, including displaced persons and minorities, are particularly at risk of losing their land and livelihoods.
Innovative approaches are essential for protecting land tenure security. Earth observation (EO) services, data analytics, and remote sensing technologies offer valuable insights into land use dynamics, displacement patterns, and areas at high risk of land grabbing.
Location
Ukraine
Institutions
Project partners conducted various assessments and analyses, ranging from harvest detection to damage assessment. Their goal was to gain a comprehensive understanding of the situation and provide a clear picture of the circumstances in the monitored regions.
HENSOLDT Analytics and Janes focused on monitoring troops and looting activities, giving valuable insights into the situation in regions like Kherson.
Vito undertook the task of harvest detection in areas like Zaporizhzhia, which was crucial for understanding agricultural dynamics amidst conflict.
Location
Ukraine
Institutions
Project partners conducted various assessments and analyses, ranging from harvest detection to damage assessment. Their goal was to gain a comprehensive understanding of the situation and provide a clear picture of the circumstances in the monitored regions.
HENSOLDT Analytics and Janes focused on monitoring troops and looting activities, giving valuable insights into the situation in regions like Kherson.
Vito undertook the task of harvest detection in areas like Zaporizhzhia, which was crucial for understanding agricultural dynamics amidst conflict.
Location
Ukraine
Institutions
e-GEOS conducted damage assessment mapping, wildfire and nightlight monitoring in Bakhmut, using Earth observation (EO) to assess the impact of conflict on urban areas.
DLR contributed to population extent assessment to help understand the human dimension of the conflict's impact.
Location
Ukraine
Institutions
e-GEOS conducted damage assessment mapping, wildfire and nightlight monitoring in Bakhmut, using Earth observation (EO) to assess the impact of conflict on urban areas.
DLR contributed to population extent assessment to help understand the human dimension of the conflict's impact.
Location
Ukraine
Institutions
Throughout all three monitoring cycles (from February 2022 to April 2023), several trends emerged:
In Kherson, mentions of "land grabbing" and "looting" decreased from January to April 2023, suggesting the success of the Ukrainian counteroffensive. However, opportunistic grabs (like looting) and systematic grabs (involving confiscation of property) were frequently observed during this time.
In Zaporizhzhia, EO tools show harvest times for major crops in 2022, covering both Zaporizhzhia and Odessa. The analysis revealed that harvest dates were primarily influenced by crop type rather than location. Some fields even showed multiple harvest times, especially those with early first harvest dates. Furthermore, crop monitoring in Zaporizhzhia indicated delayed harvest dates for damaged fields in 2022, particularly for sunflower and maize. Also, some fields yielded fewer harvests than anticipated, highlighting the impact of damage on agricultural productivity.
For Bakhmut, damage assessment maps were created using Sentinel-1 time-series analysis. They showed how the damage was spread across the built-up area. Residents of Bakhmut faced a significant impact, with 34% of the area suffering damage.
Evidence also suggests that destroyed property in Mariupol was systematically removed, possibly due to destroyed land ownership documents.
Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts experienced decreased night light activity, indicating a decline in economic activity and infrastructure.
The frequency of mentions for "Land Grabbing" and "Looting" in relation to "Kherson"
Location
Ukraine
Institutions
Throughout all three monitoring cycles (from February 2022 to April 2023), several trends emerged:
In Kherson, mentions of "land grabbing" and "looting" decreased from January to April 2023, suggesting the success of the Ukrainian counteroffensive. However, opportunistic grabs (like looting) and systematic grabs (involving confiscation of property) were frequently observed during this time.
In Zaporizhzhia, EO tools show harvest times for major crops in 2022, covering both Zaporizhzhia and Odessa. The analysis revealed that harvest dates were primarily influenced by crop type rather than location. Some fields even showed multiple harvest times, especially those with early first harvest dates. Furthermore, crop monitoring in Zaporizhzhia indicated delayed harvest dates for damaged fields in 2022, particularly for sunflower and maize. Also, some fields yielded fewer harvests than anticipated, highlighting the impact of damage on agricultural productivity.
For Bakhmut, damage assessment maps were created using Sentinel-1 time-series analysis. They showed how the damage was spread across the built-up area. Residents of Bakhmut faced a significant impact, with 34% of the area suffering damage.
Evidence also suggests that destroyed property in Mariupol was systematically removed, possibly due to destroyed land ownership documents.
Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts experienced decreased night light activity, indicating a decline in economic activity and infrastructure.
The frequency of mentions for "Land Grabbing" and "Looting" in relation to "Kherson"
Location
Ukraine
Institutions
Conclusion
Looking ahead, there is a keen interest in replicating and expanding the project's scope to other countries and regions facing similar challenges. Particularly, the findings related to the reallocation of abandoned housing, confiscation of land records, and social media activity on land-grabbing activities hold promise for informing future initiatives.
Using new data sources and technologies could enhance understanding and response to land tenure insecurity amidst conflict. And this in turn could contribute to peacebuilding efforts globally.
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