The conflict in Ukraine: Social, environmental and psychological aspects

The conflict in Ukraine has hindered environmental policies in Europe and elsewhere. The war itself has environmental implications. The conflict between two major agricultural countries has negative impact on the global food supply. As food prices rise, some nations are likely to cope by converting forests to fields. International tensions and conflicts are among reasons to boost childbearing in Russia and some other countries. There are inter-ethnic differences in the birthrate. The necessity of birth control has been obfuscated by conflicting national and global interests, the population growth being regarded as a tool helping to the national sovereignty and defense. Pro-natalist policies are counterproductive in view of the global overpopulation. The ecological damage is generally proportional to the population density. The demographic growth contributes to the scarcity of energy and food in many regions. Large projects could be accomplished to improve the quality of life: irrigation systems, nuclear and other energy sources instead of fossil fuels. Hydroelectric power plants can be built on large rivers to produce hydrogen as eco-friendly energy carrier. Such projects would create many jobs, being a reasonable alternative to hostilities and excessive military expenditures. Obviously, durable peace is required for that. Ukraine must become a testing ground for the international cooperation. Insufficient knowledge about other countries, misleading propaganda, suppressed shame and envy seem to be conductive to the current hostility. If the world is becoming multicentric, armed conflicts of various magnitudes may become permanent. A reasonable alternative is a global leadership centered in developed parts of the world, based on humanism and modern science. © 2023 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.