Opening of the Centre for the Support of Local Policies in Climate-Neutral Construction and Energy in Khmelnytskyi

A new milestone in Ukraine’s journey towards climate neutrality was marked on 24 October 2025 with the official opening of the Centre for the Support of Local Policies in Climate-Neutral Construction and Energy at Leonid Yuzkov Khmelnytskyi University of Management and Law.

The Centre was established as a joint initiative of the University and the Khmelnytskyi City Council within the framework of the U_CAN project, financed under the Horizon Europe programme. It aims to become a hub for educational, scientific, and practical cooperation focused on developing climate neutrality, environmental transformation, and sustainable energy policies at the local level. Researchers, local authorities, civil society organisations, and international partners will be able to work together to design and test innovative solutions for sustainable urban development and clean energy transition.

The opening ceremony featured welcoming remarks from Oleh Omelchuk, Rector of Leonid Yuzkov Khmelnytskyi University of Management and Law, and Mykola Vavryshchuk, Deputy Mayor of Khmelnytskyi. Both speakers underlined the Centre’s potential to strengthen collaboration between academia, public authorities, civil society organisations, and international partners in advancing innovative approaches to sustainable urban development and energy efficiency.

The U_CAN project coordinator, Swati Kulashri from the Technical University of Dresden, outlined the project’s goals and its contribution to supporting the transition of Ukrainian cities towards climate neutrality. Representatives of U_CAN pilot cities, including Lviv, Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Khmelnytskyi, joined the event, highlighting the importance of partnership and shared learning across municipalities.

Project leader Inna Shevchuk presented the main objectives and expected outcomes of the new Centre, emphasising that cooperation and exchange are key to creating opportunities for growth and implementing practical solutions.

The Khmelnytskyi City Council expressed strong commitment to supporting the Centre’s activities and further integrating sustainability and energy efficiency into local policy.

The launch of the Centre is more than a local achievement – it represents a growing network of Ukrainian cities committed to a carbon-neutral future. Through education, innovation, and international cooperation, the Centre will help translate the ambitions of the U_CAN project into tangible progress for communities across the country.