U_CAN – Direct Path to Ukraine’s Climate Neutrality

Last month was extremely important for the development of the U_CAN project, which is aimed at supporting communities in achieving climate neutrality across different regions of Ukraine and implementing European environmental standards into the economy. U_CAN is part of the Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Program, funded by the European Commission, and aims to make the European Union fully climate-neutral by 2050.

In October 2025, the U_CAN project was presented as part of the REBIRTH OF UKRAINE trade mission to Denmark and Sweden. Yuliia Chufistova, a member of the Mayors’ Club Presidium and Director of the UMEDA Development Agency, and Anastasiia Fliagina, U_CAN project manager, highlighted the key objectives of the program, including:

• Aligning the development concepts of Ukrainian communities with European climate policies and standards.
• Strengthening cooperation between Ukrainian and European municipalities, particularly with cities participating in the Mission Cities initiative.
• Developing local climate strategies to reduce anthropogenic impact on the environment.

On November 21, during the II All-Ukrainian Summit of Mayors & Global Congress as part of the Ukrainian Construction Congress 2025, experts focused more attention on the new U_CAN Network of External Partners (NEP) – a platform that unites organizations from Ukraine and the EU seeking to support Ukraine on its path to climate neutrality. This interactive partnership network allows participants to access a broader European and Ukrainian audience, participate in public networking events, find like-minded partners, and start collaborating with them on joint projects.

It is important to note that NEP members are not obliged to engage in activities related to U_CAN. Each new program participant is added to the so-called interactive U_CAN map, which facilitates the formation of partnerships with stakeholders interested in cooperating with Ukraine on climate neutrality. This process occurs quite quickly, as before joining NEP, all participants demonstrate their experience and future development potential to the project team to ensure effective collaboration with leading international organizations.

Presenting the U_CAN program at the international level has helped communities exchange practical experience with European partners, discuss the implementation stages of long-term solutions that ensure sustainability, energy efficiency, and environmental safety of Ukrainian cities during their post-war reconstruction, and demonstrate Ukraine’s readiness to become climate-neutral.