This positive news story has been inspired by one of the world’s most tragic situations: the war in Ukraine.

“We in Ukraine are becoming a pilot site for diverse sustainable pilots, experiments and innovations. We have to leapfrog and build a society, buildings and processes that are inclusive, that are beautiful and that are sustainable. That’s our vision.” Roman Pushko

Rebuilding Ukraine safely, sustainably and swiftly – courtesy of S3RoU

A consortium of individuals, universities and entities in Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands has come together to create a solution that will not only help rebuild Ukraine but could be used in other places that have been affected by wars or extreme weather events.

In layperson’s terms, rubble from the war in Ukraine will go through processes so it can be used to rebuild Ukraine swiftly, safely and sustainably. Discover more about the consortium who are involved in this rebuilding Ukraine project.

Rebuilding Uktraine S3 University of Leeds team

The conversation explores the innovative S3 project, which aims at sustainable reconstruction in Ukraine, focusing on the circular economy, community involvement, and the importance of decentralisation.

Experts discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by the project, emphasising the need for collaboration and inclusivity in rebuilding efforts. The discussion highlights the potential legacy of the project in shaping future construction practices and addressing the impacts of conflict and disaster.

“Concrete is made up of cement, sand, gravel and water – and we can theoretically get them all back. My vision is to decentralise it, prove it can work, and show people – through real demonstrations – that this is doable.” Professor Theodore Hanein

Rebuilding Ukraine S3RoU consortium

• You’re a civil engineer, architect, urban planner or contractor interested in circular materials and real-world pilots.

• You’re working on post-conflict or post-disaster reconstruction and want scalable, community-centred models.

• You’re engaged in climate, energy or development policy and want to understand how embodied carbon and ci...

In this episode, Ciara sits down with Jessica Gill and Aoibhínn Nevin-Ginnetty, two passionate youth advocates from Plan International Ireland’s Youth Advisory Panel who took their COP28 experience and turned it into local action.

Fresh from representing youth voices at COP28 in Dubai, Jessica and Aoibhínn came home determined not to let the momentum fade. Together, they designed and delivered “Feminist Voices for Climate Justice” – a youth-led Dublin event that combined a powerful panel discussion on gender and climate justice with a hands-on upcycling workshop, where attendees turned donated t-shirts into tote bags.

The result? A hopeful, practical space where young people could explore climate justice through a feminist lens, pick up real advocacy skills, and literally make something together. In this conversation, Jessica and Aoibhínn open up about what it really takes to organise a community-level climate event – the nerves, the logistics, the safeguarding, the storm on the day – and the joy of seeing people leave more confident and fired up than when they arrived.

How attending COP28 as youth delegates with Plan International Ireland inspired Jessica and Aoibhínn to bring their learnings back to Irish communities – with a focus on the intersection of gender equality and the climate crisis.

Why they chose a gendered lens on climate justice, how they selected speakers, and what it was like to host the event at the Carmelite Community Centre in Dublin on 6 April 2024. Panelists included:

Vanessa Conroy – National Women’s Council, Feminist Communities for Climate Justice

Jennifer (Jenny) Salmon – Ireland’s climate youth delegate 2023–2024

Kiera Carney – host of The Book of Leaves podcast, bringing the arts and storytelling into climate conversations.

The importance of talking about everyday issues like rubbish on the beach, public transport or fast fashion, instead of always framing everything as “climate change” – and how that simple shift can invite more people into the conversation instead of scaring them off.

The tote bag workshop: climate action with scissors and string
How donated t-shirts from Change Clothes Crumlin became upcycled tote bags – and why a creative, hands-on activity helped break the ice, build connection, and give attendees a skill they could take home and repeat.

The very real challenges of organising a social justice event when you’re also studying, working and volunteering:

• Safeguarding and risk assessm...

In this episode of Constructive Voices, Jackie is joined again by Tim Christophersen, Vice President of Climate Action at Salesforce and author of Generation Restoration. Fresh back from COP30 in Belém, Tim shares why – out of roughly 15 COPs he has attended – this one felt like a genuine turning point for climate, nature, and the emerging bioeconomy.

"The Blue Zone in Belem: A long way to go, but the direction is clear!" Photo by Tim Christophersen

Drawing on decades of experience inside the UN system and now in the private sector, Tim takes us behind the headlines – beyond disappointment over the lack of fossil fuel phase-out language – into the real energy that’s building around solutions, especially in and around the Amazon.

He talks about dawn boat rides past parrots and agroforestry plots, industrial-scale ecosystem restoration on degraded pastureland, and the quiet revolution happening in food, finance, and cities. At the heart of it all is one simple shift: treating nature as core infrastructure, not decoration.

“For the first time at a COP, I had the feeling that the excitement about building something new is bigger than the anxiety about dismantling the old, extractive, unsustainable economy.” Tim Christophersen

Photo credit: Deposit Photos

• Why COP30 in Belém, Brazil, felt different from previous climate summits – and why Tim sees it as a pivot point rather than just “another COP”.
• How Brazil used the location – right in the Amazon – to showcase a new kind of bioeconomy, from deforestation-free cattle to forest-based products and restoration concessions.
• What the new long-term forest finance facilities, including the Tropical Forests Forever concept, could mean for paying countries to keep forests standing.
• The rise of ecopreneurs and large-scale restoration projects turning degraded pasture into thriving forests – powered by carbon markets and better tech.
• Why Tim believes the real story now is building something new, not just fighting the old fossil-fuel system.
• How cities like Paris and Singapore are quietly proving that climate action can make daily life better – cleaner air, more green space, healthier people.
• What it means to see food and regenerative agriculture as the frontline of the bioeconomy, from Amazonian superfoods to local, seasonal diets in Europ...