“As we speak, in Kyiv, the SUN4Ukraine initiative of the Cities Mission is announcing the twin Mission Cities that will guide 12 municipalities in Ukraine to align their recovery plans with climate objectives. The city of Munich, receiving its Mission Label today, will then host the launch of the SUN4Ukraine Partnership Programme next month.”
Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, 15 October 2025.
The pairings of the Flagship Municipalities and Mission Cities for the SUN4Ukraine Partnership Programme were announced as representatives from 12 Ukrainian Flagship Municipalities gathered in Kyiv over two days. Two key sessions marked these important events - a Multilevel Policy Dialogue on green transition and a launch of the project's two-year Capacity Building Programme, which will support municipalities in developing climate strategies through hands-on guidance, peer learning, and tailored tools.
Held on 15–16 October 2025 in Kyiv, the event featured interactive, peer-driven workshops introducing both Climate Neutrality Plan (CNP) development and wider themes related to climate neutrality.
Key highlights
The workshop delivered several important outcomes, and participants highlighted the value of peer-to-peer exchanges, noting how shared experiences strengthened their approach to climate planning. Moreover, the sessions established foundations for municipalities to translate their resulting roadmaps into concrete actions for their Climate Neutrality Plans (CNPs). A dialogue on climate governance and policy in Ukraine brought together high-level decision-makers, experts, and ministers to examine how national and local governments can work together more effectively. The quality and range of the speakers on the panels showcased Ukraine’s commitment to the project and advancing the climate transition.
“Responsibility and a serious approach to the climate transition are already becoming embedded at all levels – in policy, in business models, and in society’s mindset. This is a global trend that reflects our maturity as humanity. We are beginning to understand our own responsibility for the impact we have on the planet.” Mustafa Sait-Ametov, Regional Development Programme Manager, UNDP Ukraine.
Capacity Building Workshop
The first day centred on peer learning and collective reflection, providing municipalities with opportunities to share their progress toward climate neutrality and exchange experiences in partnership-building, community engagement, and integrating sustainability into recovery planning. The peer-to-peer format fostered a sense of shared purpose and collaboration across the municipalities.
Throughout the day, cities worked toward a common understanding of climate neutrality in the Ukrainian context, exploring how urban systems interconnect across sectors and territories. This collaborative environment allowed municipalities to identify key sectors, actors, and boundaries together, drawing inspiration from each other's practical experiences and successes in advancing the climate transition.
The second round of workshops focused on governance and team building, exploring how cities can organise internal work on their CNPs and manage the interdependencies these processes create. Participants discussed the role of Transition Teams, began stakeholder mapping, and received practical tools to continue inclusive planning and implementation beyond the session.
Multilevel Policy Dialogue on Best Practices for Just Transition
Set against Ukraine's ongoing recovery and EU accession efforts, the discussions linked local action to national frameworks such as the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) and the Law on the Basic Principles of State Climate Policy, aligning with the European Green Deal. The featured speakers came from a mix of all levels of governance: from international to local representatives. Diverse roles within the Ukrainian government were represented such as:
- Nataliia Kozlovska, Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine,
- Hanna Zamazeeva, Head of State Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving of Ukraine,
- Artem Hanushchak, Deputy Mayor of Rivne
- Andrii Ocheretnyi, Deputy Mayor of Vinnytsia City Council
- Serhii Bostan, Director of Department, Chernivtsi City Council
- Yurii Pavlov, Deputy Mayor of Konotop City Council
- Bohdan Biletskyi, Deputy Mayor of Kalush City Council
- Yevhenii Shapovalov, Advisor to the Head of the State Agency on Restoration and Development of Ukraine
- Oleh Bondarenko, Head of the Committee of the Parliament of Ukraine on Environmental Policy and Nature Management of Ukraine
- Iryna Kashpur, Sumy Regional Military Administration, Director of the Department of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources
All repeatedly stressed that climate policy must move beyond high-level strategies and become a cross-sector responsibility, embedded in decisions such as spatial planning, energy management, and local development. While international and national institutions set targets and frameworks, the actual implementation happens locally. “Municipalities are no longer just energy consumers – they are becoming key players in sustainability, implementing decentralised generation, promoting energy efficiency and deploying localised solutions that provide electricity, heat and safety for people even in the most challenging circumstances....” Emphasised Lesya Tymoshenko, coordinator of SUN4Ukraine.
The discussion also underlined that climate neutrality is closely linked to long-term sustainability, economic stability, and the ability of communities to plan their future responsibly.
“We need to turn climate policy into a cross-sector task, not just the responsibility of the Ministry of the Environment.” Oleh Bondarenko, Head of the Committee of the Parliament of Ukraine on Environmental Policy and Nature Management of Ukraine, underscored the importance of shared responsibility.
The day concluded with a dialogue on climate governance, examining how national and local institutions can work together to overcome regulatory barriers and enable cities to lead Ukraine's climate and energy transition. The importance of the project’s activities was emphasised by Artem Hanushchak, Deputy Mayor of Rivne:
- “For us, climate neutrality is not a trend – it is a matter of survival.”
Next steps for collaboration in climate action
Collaboration is key, as echoed by Yevhenii Shapovalov, Advisor to the Head of the State Agency on Restoration and Development of Ukraine: “I am convinced that results are possible only when we work with a shared mindset and collective effort. Everything depends on partnership”.
In the following phase, SUN4Ukraine will establish a Ukrainian Cities Climate Hub for all Ukrainian municipalities that will express interest in the project. The Hub will serve as a platform for Mission Cities and Ukrainian cities to share ideas and best practices, collectively shaping a climate-resilient and sustainable future.
Read the press release from SUN4Ukraine.
Read the announcement from the Mission Label Awards ceremony, EU Cities Mission marks milestone: 103 cities now labelled on the path towards climate neutrality - Research and innovation
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Автор: Sarah Naffi Johansson, LGI Sustainable Innovation