“Ukraine is determined to implement the model of just transition of coal regions. In those communities where the mines have exhausted their resource, such transformation needs to begin now”, said Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal when he participated online in the Constituent Assembly of the Association of Coal Communities. Several cities in Ukraine are facing the challenging transition away from coal production to renewable energies. To support just transition to a new future, an association of the participating cities has now been founded.

The validation of the constitution of the assembly took place at the “Just Transition 2023: Multilevel National Dialogue”, with the participation of the German Embassy’s representative, top-representatives from Ukrainian governmental institutions, heads of Regional Military Administration, mayors of city councils and GIZ Ukraine, focused on further just transition processes in Ukraine.

Participants discussed challenges and ways forward at all administrative levels. The Memorandum of cooperation between Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and Donetsk Regional Military Administration, which was signed during this event, mark another milestone in consolidating partnership with regional administrations and increasing structural change impacts.

Elise Vigier, Deputy Director of the Supporting Structural Change in Ukrainian Coal Regions, emphasized on the high degree of the importance of involvement and ownership of all key stakeholders in the process of Just Transition, closely complying with the key principle “no one left behind”

We thank our partners and participants for productive discussions.

We look forward for further development of joint work!