Twelve Ukrainian cities join the SUN4Ukraine initiative of the EU Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission

Twelve Ukrainian cities join the SUN4Ukraine initiative of the EU Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission. They are Chernihiv, Chernivtsi, Dnipro, Kalush, Kharkiv, Konotop, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Novovolynsk, Pervomaisk, Vinnytsia and Zviahel. The cities were selected among the 33 applications from cities with over 50,000 inhabitants that expressed an interest to develop city-wide and cross-sectoral Climate Neutrality Plans for the 2050 horizon. This was announced by the European Commission in December 2024.

Twelve municipalities from across Ukraine are starting a transformative journey to climate-neutral rebuilding. SUN4Ukraine empowers Ukrainian cities to seamlessly integrate Climate Neutrality Plans into their recovery strategies, paving the way for sustainable and resilient urban development. The twelve selected municipalities will receive tailored expert support, participate in a comprehensive capacity-building programme, and be paired with EU Mission Cities for valuable knowledge exchanges.

As a first step, SUN4Ukraine will channel valuable lessons from the EU Cities Mission to the twelve Flagship Municipalities on the implementation, governance and financing of urban climate action. This support will be tailored to each city’s needs while considering national circumstances, especially the recovery challenges posed by the ongoing war. In the next phase, the Flagship Municipalities will partner with EU Mission Cities, transitioning from exchanging knowledge to taking decisive action. These partnerships will align expertise with capacity building needs. They will also match cities according to similarities and relevance of their climate neutrality challenges.

Further on, all municipalities who responded to SUN4Ukraine’s call for expression of interest will be invited to join the journey toward a climate-resilient and sustainable future through the activities of a Ukrainian Cities Climate Hub. The goal is to exchange ideas, share knowledge and promote best practices for Ukraine’s recovery and sustainability. In total 105 Ukrainian municipalities of all sizes expressed interest to take part in the SUN4Ukraine initiative, with the aim of becoming climate-neutral by 2050 at the latest.