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Green Recovery and Sustainable Development in OECD States and Ukraine

 Research article, 2026,1,1[1]

Green Recovery and Sustainable Development in OECD States and Ukraine: Comparative Assessment, Policy Adaptation, and Environmental Reconstruction in a Post-Crisis Context

 Olena Dovgal1;  Nataliia Goncharenko2

1) Doctor of Sciences (Economics), Full Professor; Department of International Economic Relations
V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University; Kharkiv, Ukraine
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3219-9731; Email: e.dovgal@karazin.ua

2) Ph.D. in Economics, Associate Professor; Department of International Economic Relations
V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University; Kharkiv, Ukraine
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4148-5369; Email: n.i.goncharenko@karazin.ua

 

Citation in APA 7:Dovgal, O., & Goncharenko, N. (2026). Green recovery and sustainable development in OECD states and Ukraine: Comparative assessment, policy adaptation, and environmental reconstruction in a post-crisis context. Bank and Policy, 6(1), 7–25

 

Received: 22.09.2025

Accepted: 23.11.2025

https://doi.org/10.56334/bpj/6.1.1

Abstract

This study presents an integrated comparative analysis of sustainable development and ecological transformation across OECD member states and Ukraine, with a particular focus on environmental governance, resource efficiency, and the systemic modernization of economic processes. While OECD countries have progressively advanced green transition initiatives, Ukraine now faces the dual challenge of ecological degradation and war-induced environmental damage, making sustainable development not merely a forward-looking strategy, but an urgent existential requirement. The research examines how environmental strategies, green technologies, and eco-innovation policies operate within differing national contexts, evaluating their capacity to stimulate economic growth while maintaining ecosystem resilience. Methodologically, the study applies both qualitative and quantitative approaches, incorporating statistical modeling, comparative analysis, and the OECD “green growth” indicator system. The findings reveal distinct structural patterns in environmental performance among the studied countries, identifying the critical gap between Ukraine and leading OECD economies in terms of ecological productivity, natural-resource efficiency, and innovation-driven sustainability. The article argues that effective ecological recovery in Ukraine must be based on deep institutional reform, adoption of environmental taxation, sectoral greening of industry, and large-scale restoration of damaged ecosystems. In contrast, OECD states increasingly demonstrate mature ecological cultures, advanced environmental monitoring systems, and diversified green investment instruments. The conclusions develop targeted policy recommendations aimed at Ukrainian authorities, international partners, and donor institutions to support post-war reconstruction through sustainable models, integrating ecosystem restoration, circular economy practices, and green financial frameworks. This research thus provides a scientifically grounded basis for Ukraine’s ecological reintegration into the European space and contributes to broader discussions on global environmental resilience and equitable green transition.

Revised Keywords:  Green transformation; Environmental policy; Green growth index; Post-war ecological recovery; OECD; Ukraine; Environmental resilience; Sustainable reconstruction; Eco-innovation; Circular economy; Environmental governance; Green finance, Climate-adaptive economics

 

Ethical Considerations

This research is based exclusively on publicly available economic, environmental, statistical, and institutional data. No confidential, private, or personally identifiable information was collected or processed. No human or animal subjects were involved in the study. All analytical procedures adhered to internationally recognized academic integrity principles, including transparency, accuracy of data interpretation, and avoidance of plagiarism. The authors strictly complied with responsible research and publication ethics, ensuring objective analysis and impartial representation of national data without political advocacy or biased framing.

Acknowledgements

The authors express their sincere gratitude to the academic community of the V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University for providing intellectual support, access to research resources, and constructive scholarly dialogue during the development of this study. Appreciation is also extended to colleagues in the fields of ecological economics and international environmental policy whose insights and critiques contributed to refining the methodological approach of the article.

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from public, commercial, or not-for-profit funding agencies. The study was conducted through institutional academic initiative and internal intellectual contribution of the authors.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this article. No financial, personal, institutional, or professional relationships have influenced the research process, findings, or conclusions.

Author Contributions

Olena Dovgal: Conceptualization; development of the research methodology; theoretical framework formulation; supervision; critical review of the manuscript; validation of analytical models; preparation of the final interpretation of results.

Nataliia Goncharenko: Data collection and statistical processing; construction of the Greening Index (GI); quantitative analysis; visualization of datasets (tables and graphs); drafting the initial manuscript; preparation of literature review and reference formatting.

Both authors: Jointly contributed to the discussion of findings; refinement of analytical conclusions; editing and approving the final version of the manuscript for submission; responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of the work.

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