Barcelona has been selected as one of the 12 European cities chosen by the European Union-funded project “SUN4Ukraine” to contribute to Ukraine’s reconstruction with climate neutrality criteria. The initiative aims for European cities that are part of the EU Mission 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities to share their practical experience with Ukrainian cities in areas such as climate adaptation and mitigation, clean energy and mobility, climate action financing, citizen engagement, and urban development.

Specifically, Barcelona will partner with Mykolaiv, a port and industrial city on the Black Sea. Meanwhile, Munich and Oslo will act as special mentor cities for all 12 Ukrainian municipalities, thus strengthening the SUN4Ukraine knowledge transfer program.

The Mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, welcomed Barcelona’s selection, stating that this “reaffirms Barcelona’s recognition as a pioneering city at the European level and confirms our commitment to Ukraine and its cities, which deserve a future of peace and progress.” “They will always have us by their side, and we are very pleased to share with Mykolaiv our learnings and experience to tackle two major challenges: reconstruction and climate change.”

The city partnerships have been based on the needs and strengths of each participating city, considering their size, economic profile, climate priorities, and pre-existing ties. The list was presented at the latest SUN4Ukraine conference held in Kyiv and is as follows:

• Chernihiv — Amsterdam
• Chernivtsi — Mannheim
• Dnipro — Budapest
• Kalush — Rzeszów
• Kharkiv — Izmir
• Konotop — Lappeenranta
• Kyiv — Leipzig
• Mykolaiv — Barcelona
• Novovolynsk — Aachen
• Pervomaisk — Parma
• Vinnytsia — Dijon Métropole
• Zviahel — Utrecht

At the end of the 18-month partnership program, SUN4Ukraine will create a Climate Center for Ukrainian Cities, and all Ukrainian municipalities that have expressed interest in the project will be invited to join. The Center will serve as a platform for Mission cities and Ukrainian cities to share ideas and best practices and collectively shape a climate-resilient and sustainable future.