Understanding the ''Build Back Better'' Strategy and Its Importance for Ukrainian Reconstruction
Since the full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022, Russia has inflicted over $155 billion in damage on Ukraine — and the number continues to rise daily. The devastation caused by enemy shelling and scorched earth tactics has left homes, schools, hospitals, businesses, thermal power plants, power transformers, and even the Kakhovka HPP in ruins.
While the war rages on and destruction escalates, reconstruction is already a priority in areas where active hostilities have ceased. Using a mix of private, state, and grant funding, communities are taking their first steps toward rebuilding.
However, rebuilding raises an important question: How can communities plan their recovery to meet the needs and capacities of their residents? The recovery process is complex and influenced by many factors. Those communities that implement it effectively will have a better chance of thriving. Decisions need to be made: How should destroyed businesses be rebuilt? How many schools are truly needed? Can funds be raised to adopt new energy solutions? And most importantly, how can communities recover and become better than before the war?
To achieve this, Ukrainian communities must assess their needs and opportunities and channel them into actionable reconstruction projects. Svidomi, in collaboration with the Right to Protection Charitable Foundation, explores how adopting the "Build Back Better" strategy can transform communities. This approach not only restores what was lost but also improves living conditions, enhances safety, and strengthens infrastructure — crucial steps for recovery in both the ongoing war and the post-war future.
Which Regions of Ukraine Need Reconstruction Before the War Ends?
Ukrainian communities are grappling with the devastating impacts of Russia's war against Ukraine, compounded by other emergencies both related and unrelated to the invasion. Constant explosions, missiles and drone attacks on infrastructure, landmines, and occupation, as well as floods, forest fires, water pollution, and other environmental disasters, are taking a heavy toll on the country’s environment, towns and villages, roads, and people. The damage is widespread and multifaceted. Destroyed schools and hospitals disrupt community livelihoods, the destruction of transportation hubs cripples logistics, and relentless attacks on energy infrastructure severely affect daily life and work. Landmines not only threaten lives but also degrade the environment and deplete vital community resources.
One of the regions most impacted by hostilities is Donetsk, which has suffered over $17 million in environmental damage. The Luhansk region ranks second, with damages exceeding $13 million. Kharkiv and Kherson follow, with $11.6 million and $5.8 million in environmental damage, respectively. These figures were published by Top Lead Agency, citing the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of Ukraine.
Accurately calculating the full extent of the damage caused by the Russian military in Ukraine remains impossible due to the occupation of Ukrainian territories since 2014.
A report from the Kyiv School of Economics on direct infrastructure damage, as of early 2024, identifies 10 Ukrainian regions most affected by the hostilities. These include Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Sumy, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Kyiv, and Dnipropetrovsk. The situation in the temporarily occupied Crimea (Qırım), particularly regarding infrastructure, logistical routes, and water supply, remains unknown.
In the Donetsk region, over 91,000 residential buildings from the total housing stock have been damaged. In towns such as Bakhmut and Mariinka, not a single building remains intact. Ninety percent of the housing stock has been destroyed in Siverskodonetsk, while in Mariupol, it is impossible to accurately estimate the damage due to the city's full occupation.
Road junctions have suffered the most in the Kharkiv region, with 22% of the region’s road network damaged. Following Kharkiv, the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions rank second and third in terms of road infrastructure destruction. Parts of Donetsk have been under occupation since 2014, making it difficult to determine the full extent of the damage. Meanwhile, in the Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy regions — de-occupied in the spring of 2022 — 6% of roads have been damaged.
The impact on Ukraine's energy sector has been catastrophic, with Russia’s continuous attacks causing over $8 billion in damages.
Maryna Turenok, a civil protection consultant at the Right to Protection Charitable Foundation, emphasizes that every region in Ukraine requires immediate restoration and a return to normalcy. However, during wartime, recovery is only feasible in areas under Ukrainian government control. Special attention must be given to communities bordering Russia and those near active war zones.
“Restoring transportation and critical infrastructure in these areas is vital for the safety and security of the population and for meeting their basic needs. It is equally important to rebuild residential buildings, schools, hospitals, and other social facilities. Restoration and reconstruction are essential to help citizens return to normal life and create conditions for the resumption of social and economic activities. This may require temporary, non-standard solutions to ensure public safety and address basic needs, even amid ongoing hostilities,”
Maryna Turenok explains, emphasizing the necessity of restoration efforts in these regions despite the war.
Several Ukrainian regions have also seen a significant influx of internally displaced persons. This has strained local resources, particularly utilities, housing, and education. Affected regions include Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Vinnytsia, Kyiv, Cherkasy, and others. Communities in these areas may need to upgrade their social services and housing infrastructure to meet the growing demand.
Affected communities can adopt quick and temporary solutions to aid recovery. These might include:
- Repurposing schools, dormitories, sanatoriums, or other buildings to create temporary accommodation.
- Establishing a reserve fund for emergency repairs to municipal infrastructure.
- Restoring water and electricity supply on an emergency (temporary) basis.
- Setting up simple shelters.
- Organizing visits by mobile medical teams or primary healthcare centers to provide basic services to residents of remote settlements where inpatient medical facilities cannot yet be restored.
- Switching to online education in schools.
However, all of these solutions are temporary. For long-term recovery, communities must plan further actions, mobilize additional resources, and fully understand the needs of their residents. This involves making decisions that reflect these needs in local documents (such as programs and plans), conducting assessments (of hazards and needs), interviewing residents, and taking their opinions into account. Above all, communities must decide whether to restore infrastructure to its pre-destruction state or to adopt the "Build Back Better" strategy for future resilience.
How to Make Decisions to Ensure the "Build Back Better" Strategy in the Community
"Build Back Better" is an approach to disaster recovery that aims to reduce vulnerability to future disasters while enhancing community resilience. It addresses physical, social, environmental, and economic vulnerabilities, ensuring communities are better prepared to withstand future shocks.
Maryna Turenok, a civil protection consultant at the Right to Protection CF, explains that the "Build Back Better" concept was initially applied to reconstruction efforts following natural disasters.
“One of the priorities of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, developed in 2015 with the support of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction at the request of the UN General Assembly, is: ‘Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to “Build Back Better” in recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction,’” Maryna says, highlighting the evolution of the concept and its global implementation.
Ukraine plans to apply the "Build Back Better" concept to rebuild war-damaged communities and infrastructure. In 2023, former Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Ruslan Strilets announced that the government was working on various aspects of recovery and reconstruction, incorporating the "Build Back Better" approach in each area.
The government is adopting European integration resolutions and directives aimed at restoring and improving the environmental situation in Ukraine. The Climate Office, which focuses on green energy projects, has also begun operations to enhance the country’s ecosystem.
However, rebuilding and restoring all damaged infrastructure and businesses within affected communities remains a priority. Maryna Turenok, civil protection consultant at the Right to Protection CF, identifies the following critical sectors for recovery: logistics and transportation, housing, municipal infrastructure, education and healthcare, rural land, manufacturing, and energy.
Mining is another significant challenge that has emerged as a consequence of the war. Ukraine is now one of the most heavily mined countries in the world, with over 176,000 square kilometers of its territory reportedly mined by Russian forces. According to government estimates, it will take up to 70 years to clear these mines.
In June 2024, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russia’s missile and drone attacks had destroyed 80% of Ukraine’s thermal generation capacity and a third of its hydroelectric generation.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal also reported in May 2024 that more than 250,000 residential buildings, around 4,000 schools, and over 1,000 hospitals had been damaged or destroyed in Ukraine.
“The importance of restoring all the sectors mentioned above to ensure economic stability and improve the living conditions of the population cannot be overstated. A comprehensive approach that addresses all these areas will lay the foundation for the country’s future development and recovery after the war,”
says Maryna Turenok.
For Ukraine, the "Build Back Better" strategy represents a key approach to community recovery. It not only aims to restore the previous state but also seeks to create new and improved living conditions. This strategy contributes to sustainable development, enhances social conditions, and improves the quality of life—critical steps in the recovery process after the war.
"The 'Build Back Better' strategy can serve as the foundation for Ukraine’s transformation into a successful, modern state. This requires a comprehensive approach to reconstruction, incorporating innovation, sustainability, social responsibility, and active community engagement. Such efforts will not only improve people’s lives but also ensure the country’s sustainable development for generations to come," says Maryna Turenok.
What to Know Before Implementing a Recovery Process in a Community
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine has been hosting recovery conferences, with the most recent taking place in Germany in June 2024. The conference focused on international and intergovernmental cooperation, macroeconomic stability, and the country’s overall recovery.
Communities are eager to rebuild damaged infrastructure and return to normal life as quickly as possible. To facilitate this, they can develop their own recovery projects, drawing on both foreign and Ukrainian initiatives, including those from public, private, and NGO sectors. One such initiative is the project "Build Back Better: Prevention, Preparation, and Protection of the Population through the Restoration of Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Water Supply, Hygiene, and Sanitation Infrastructure," implemented by the Right to Protection CF. This project emphasizes the recovery component, which is the fourth principle of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. It is being implemented in the Novhorod-Siverskyi territorial community.
Elvira Radkovska, project manager at the Right to Protection CF, explains that the project’s primary focus is on restoring the community, particularly its critical infrastructure, and ensuring public safety.
“Within the project, we provide expert support to the community aimed at improving the safety and security of the population, strengthening community capacity, and fostering recovery and development through the Sendai Framework (SF) principle of 'Build Back Better,'”
she explains.
The main activities of the project focus on:
- Providing expert support to the community in identifying needs and collecting data to address key challenges through assessments.
- Raising awareness and strengthening the community's capacity in civil protection, using the “Build Back Better” approach, by conducting training for local authorities.
- Enhancing community capacity in civil protection and emergency response by developing a local-level document for effective recovery. This includes creating a local program to strengthen civil protection and emergency response.
- Expanding opportunities for discussing community recovery at the highest level, drawing from community experiences.
To achieve its goals, the Foundation mobilizes expert, financial, and partner resources to conduct surveys and assessments, provide training for community leaders and local authorities, and collaborate with partner organizations and government agencies.
The Right to Protection CF provides communities with a range of tools and materials to support further development, says Elvira Radkovska. These include:
- Analytical materials, developed and used during the project. These reports and assessments help communities clearly understand their needs and priorities. The materials provide information on risks, recovery needs, development potential, and survey data gathered throughout the project.
- Training programs, providing resources to help participants consolidate the information they have learned and share it with their colleagues.
- Expert support in the development of local documents to regulate civil protection and emergency response. Experts also offer guidance on attracting additional resources based on the documents created.
As a result of the training, the community will gain both knowledge and practical tools to support the recovery process, says Elvira Radkovska, equipping them with the necessary skills and materials to move forward.
“Community representatives will gain relevant knowledge and skills to enhance their capacity. With the experience and recommendations from the Foundation's experts, communities will have access to resources and support that enable them to apply the information for further development and recovery. Local authorities will receive assistance in developing documents that reflect the specifics of their territory, resources, and potential. This allows them to continue implementing a clear plan even after external support concludes. The program developed during the project is a versatile tool that communities can adapt to their own conditions and use as a foundation for future planning,” explains Elvira Radkovska.
The initiatives are carried out by the Right to Protection CF within the framework of the pilot project “Build Back Better: Prevention, Preparation, and Protection of the Population through the Restoration of Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Water Supply, Hygiene, and Sanitation Infrastructure,” which is being implemented in collaboration with the 3R Risk Reduction Consortium and supported by the NGO ACTED.
