Evolution of the Build Back Better concept: from reconstruction after natural disasters to green and post-war plans for recovery of Ukraine's economy

Abstract

Ukraine had ambitious plans for the development of renewable generation, decarbonization of the economy and the fight against climate change even before the start of a full-scale war. In order to implement the technological transition, economic development and joining Europe, Ukraine's post-war recovery should be based on the concept of "build back better" and the principles of green recovery. Although full-scale reconstruction of Ukraine may not begin until the post-war period, rapid recovery as an emergency response has been underway almost since the first days of a full-scale invasion.
The government is already planning the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine and is taking measures to quickly restore infrastructure, such as energy facilities or buildings. Therefore, it is important to understand the potential impact of restoration processes on the environment and climate, which is why the term "Build Back Better concept" is increasingly used in program documents of the Government of Ukraine, international organizations, and the expert community.
This work is devoted to the study of the evolution of the concept of Build Back Better, starting from the first practices of reconstruction after natural disasters to the present day, when this concept is used in governmental and international program documents for the post-war recovery of the economy of Ukraine.
The work concluded that the understanding of the concept of Build Back Better changed from the vision of recovery after natural disasters in individual regions to a more global approach, which includes measures at the level of the economy of the entire country - infrastructure, energy, buildings, industry and other sectors. The terms Build Back Greener and Build Back Sustainably are parts of the general concept of Build Back Better and describe those parts of it that can have a significant impact on the environment or climate. At the same time, the concept of "rebuilding better than it was" is more general and may include areas whose impact on the climate or environment is usually neutral (for example, social - education, medicine) or general principles of reconstruction that should be applied to each of its components, not only to climate or environment-related, for example, the principle of involving local communities in recovery planning.