Resilience in Motion: Rivne’s bid as a Climate Leader

Rivne is a city that has long looked toward a sustainable future. Already ahead of many of its European counterparts, the city has equipped hospitals with solar panels and retrofitted public buildings, including schools No. 18, 26 and 27 with energy efficiency measures. In 2020, Rivne completed its first Sustainable Energy Action Plan and achieved an 18% reduction in emissions. A year later, it joined the European Energy Award, reinforcing its commitment to long-term climate leadership.

So, in 2022, when Russian forces bombarded Kharkiv and advanced toward Kyiv, weaknesses in national infrastructure became more visible, and cities across Ukraine were forced to make difficult decisions. Rivne chose to stay its sustainable course. Despite the uncertainty of war, Rive joined the Climate KIC led NetZeroCities Twin Programme, with a focus on developing a Municipal Energy Passport, a practical tool for modelling future energy scenarios.

Challenges, support, and momentum

It made sense to focus on energy. The pressures of the Russian invasion had already exposed longstanding vulnerabilities in the sector. As Deputy Mayor Artem Hanuschak explained: “The full-scale invasion… uncovered several problems which have not been resolved since 2014, probably due to the lack of time. This includes the energy dependence on the state aggressor. Our energy system was connected to Russia and Belarus. Now it is not anymore. Our gas transportation has been and remains connected as well. But we no longer purchase gas from them.”

An early mapping exercise showed what Rivne required in the immediate future to strengthen its independence and move toward climate neutrality: capacity building. Civil servants and local stakeholders needed upskilling and reskilling on the current energy landscape, existing strategies and the practical challenges of implementing climate action. Addressing this green skills gap became essential to ensure the city could drive its transition.

In response, the Climate KIC Academy drew on its experience in climate innovation and systems thinking to design a practical leadership programme aimed at equipping civil servants and local stakeholders with the knowledge and tools needed to meet this challenge, and to lay a critical foundation for developing a long-term climate neutrality strategy within the municipality.

From September to November 2024, more than 20 Ukrainian officials participated in a programme that combined four expert-led workshops, online systems-innovation courses, peer-to-peer leadership coaching and policy-innovation practices. Delivered in Ukrainian, it helped participants understand the broader energy landscape, connect insights across departments and build confidence in collaborating on climate challenges.

From the outset, our Climate KIC’s team approach sought to balance going deep into the most important topics while covering the full breadth of the energy landscape. Designing for the curriculum had cover both adaptive abilities and grounding learning in real situations. Participants worked with practical examples and workable strategies to ensure that the integration of renewable energy and the reduction of the city’s carbon footprint was closely connected to everyday decision-making.

A radical approach to collaboration was essential in achieving successful outcomes for Rivne’s energy transition. We worked with local partners, including United for Ukraine and the Rivne City Council, to shape the programme and ensure it was firmly rooted in the city’s realities. As Olga Hammam, CEO of United for Ukraine, explained, “In this pilot, we helped Climate KIC identify suitable local partners, bring stakeholders together and advise on the communications sensitivities of the local context. ‘Emergency’ means something specific for Ukrainians.”

Local contextual insights were complemented by contributions from Ukrainian and international experts in sustainable energy, policy and economics. Guest workshops were led by Maksym Karpash, Vice Rector for International Affairs and Strategic Development at King Danylo University led. Oksana Udovyk from the Spanish energy institute INGENIO focused on how green recovery can strengthen Ukraine’s independence . She noted: “reducing reliance on generators by expanding renewable energy is a critical way to enhance resilience during wartime.” Climate adaptation expert Olha Lyashchuk provided additional insights, further grounding the programme in Ukraine’s lived realities.

This collaborative foundation helped bridge the fragmentation that often slows cross-sector efforts. It built trust, secured political support and ensured the work remained closely connected to Rivne’s needs. Reflecting on the shift, Deputy Mayor Hanuschak attested: “[That] the basic approach [to the energy transition] has changed in our community and in our team. Specific tools and skills have also emerged to implement real climate policy and climate change in all areas of life.”

The programme also helped the city move from simply identifying its challenges to building the foundation for developing a long-term climate neutrality strategy. External expert Andriy Hrytsevych spoke to this broader systems perspective: “After collaborating with Climate KIC, we were able to gain a more holistic understanding of the structures needed to approach climate neutrality systemically, as part of a connected ecosystem.”

As the programme unfolded, favourable timing added to its momentum. With Ukraine accelerating reforms for EU accession and focusing on green recovery, civil servants had a strong mandate to prioritise climate transition, reinforcing and accelerating the learning ignited through the Climate KIC Academy.

The beginning of change

Participants reported significant shifts in both understanding and capability. Post-course surveys showed that climate awareness deepened, but more importantly, participants gained confidence in systems thinking: understanding how energy decisions ripple across city departments and long-term planning. The Municipality of Rivne observed clear, observable changes from the project. “For me, the Climate KIC Academy is the interconnection between environmental, social and economic aspects which together allow us to form solutions that will be aimed at achieving community energy sustainability and, in general, the sustainable development of any community,” said Iryna Mykhaliuk, Chief Specialist of the Energy Efficiency Unit.

By the end of the programme, Ukrainian civil servants described gaining the “tools and capacities” to move beyond general awareness and begin to actively “address/promote innovative climate projects.” What had once felt out of reach was now part of their everyday practice.

A new approach to leadership

The transformation was particularly clear for the city’s leadership. Deputy Mayor Hanuschak stated: “Participation in the Climate KIC Academy has been not only an honourable opportunity for the city of Rivne but also a valuable tool for rethinking governance approaches in the context of climate challenges. A systematic analysis of environmental issues, the integration of practical tools acquired during the training, and the adaptation of European experience in energy efficiency and sustainable planning provide the foundation for developing a long-term climate neutrality strategy.”

The change was not abstract or theoretical. It marked a shift from reacting to immediate pressures toward planning proactively through “collective leadership.” The programme also strengthened Rivne’s ability to attract grant resources and investments for the implementation of innovative technologies, something recognised as critical to the city’s recovery and long-term resilience.

This transformation did not emerge from a single moment. It was the result of deliberate programme choices, and the city’s readiness to act. At the core was a desire to build adaptive abilities, with civil servants, in particular, open to move beyond simply following established procedures to approaching climate work with curiosity, confidence and a willingness to innovate.

Lessons and looking ahead

A few important lessons emerged for future courses, particularly the most engaged participants would have benefited from more individualised support.  This level of personalised guidance could help leaders embed learning across their departments and sustain implementation, suggesting that future initiatives should allocate sufficient time and resources for such structured mentoring.

The project’s model proved to be successful and readily transferable to other places navigating similar, broad-based climate transitions beyond just energy. Two critical tasks now remain: first, confirming the project’s impact through a follow-up study with participants, and second, building on the momentum already created to attract more funding and investment. The first step will give Climate KIC Academy and Rivne a clear picture of the programme’s sustained outcomes, the second with allow the city to propel itself further forward towards a future of energy independence and climate neutrality.