Environmental priorities during the war: Ukrainians are willing to fund waste sorting, but want systemic reforms

Despite the security challenges caused by the full-scale war and ongoing economic instability, 80% of Ukrainians recognise the importance of environmental issues. Citizens demonstrate a high level of personal responsibility, while emphasising that addressing systemic environmental challenges requires active involvement from both government and business. These findings come from a new survey conducted by Gradus ahead of World Environment Day.

Security and Economic Challenges Continue to Outweigh Environmental Concerns

Today, the war and its associated security risks remain the primary source of concern for Ukrainians, cited by 85% of respondents. Economic instability and corruption also rank among the country’s most pressing issues.

Environmental problems ranked second from the bottom on the list of urgent challenges, with only 16% of respondents naming them among their top concerns. However, outside the context of immediate daily threats, 80% of Ukrainians acknowledge the importance of environmental protection.

Environmental Awareness and Everyday Practices

Respondents with a high level of environmental awareness adopt twice as many environmentally responsible habits in their daily lives, implementing an average of eight out of 18 possible practices, compared to four practices among less engaged citizens.

The most common environmentally friendly actions among Ukrainians include using energy-efficient light bulbs and household appliances (62%), conserving water (49%), and sorting waste (41%).

At the same time, only 10% of respondents participate directly in environmental initiatives or volunteer activities. More than half cite the lack of convenient infrastructure and enabling conditions as the main barrier to greater engagement.

Demand for a New Social Contract: Willingness to Pay and Support for Stronger Regulation

Nearly three-quarters of Ukrainians (74%) feel personally responsible for the state of the environment. At the same time, 88% believe that responsibility for environmental protection should be shared among the government, society, and businesses.

Half of respondents (50%) say they are willing to pay additional fees for waste sorting and collection services.

Ukrainians Expect Investment in Recycling and Stronger Enforcement

Among potential government measures, investment in waste recycling infrastructure and stricter penalties for violations of environmental standards received the highest levels of public support, with more than half of respondents backing these initiatives.

More than 40% also support mandatory household waste sorting, stricter environmental requirements for businesses, and financial incentives for citizens who demonstrate environmentally responsible behaviour.

“Although security remains the top priority for 85% of Ukrainians, environmental protection has become a deeply rooted value: 80% of citizens recognise its importance, and half are willing to personally contribute financially to waste sorting services. However, individual efforts alone are not enough. More than half of respondents expect government investment in recycling infrastructure and stronger penalties for environmental violations,” says Evgeniya Blyznyuk, sociologist, Founder and CEO of Gradus.

The full report is available for download via the form below.

The survey was conducted by Gradus using a self-administered questionnaire in the Gradus mobile application. The sample reflects the structure of the population of Ukrainian cities with more than 50,000 residents aged 18–60 by gender, age, settlement size, and region, excluding temporarily occupied territories and areas of active hostilities. Fieldwork period: 27–28 May 2026. Sample size: 1,000 respondents.