Jun 04, 2025
Share progress and strengthen networks: Annual consortium meeting of the climate project "U_CAN Ukraine towards Carbon Neutrality" in Wrocław
From 21 to 23 May 2025, the U_CAN Project Consortium came together in Wrocław, Poland, for a three-day in-person meeting hosted by the Wrocław University of Science and Technology. 21 partner organisations and invited guests from across Europe and Ukraine gathered to reflect on progress, strengthen connections, and co-develop the next phase of our shared mission: helping six Ukrainian pilot cities move towards climate neutrality, in close collaboration with the EU Mission Cities. The project is coordinated by a team from WISSENSARCHITEKTUR - Laboratory of Knowledge Architecture at TU Dresden. More about the U_CAN project
Despite difficult conditions faced by Ukrainian municipalities, the project continues to make important strides – thanks to strong partnerships, local innovation, and consistent support from the Horizon Europe programme. This second offline meeting was both a checkpoint and a springboard: an opportunity to consolidate what has been achieved and generate fresh momentum for what comes next.
Sharing Progress
The first day of the meeting was dedicated to project updates. Each work package shared achievements, lessons learned, and challenges faced. This open exchange allowed the Consortium to align expectations and see how individual efforts are contributing to the broader goal of sustainable urban transformation. Importantly, the day also created space to reflect on the realities faced by Ukrainian partners, and how the Consortium can best support them with practical tools, knowledge, and solidarity.
Planning Together
The second day turned toward the future. In a series of focused working sessions, participants developed action plans for the next year – mapping key deliverables, identifying shared priorities, and looking for synergies between pilot cities, technical partners, and stakeholder engagement teams. Sessions were designed to be participatory and practical, encouraging ownership and cross-team collaboration. The result: a clearer, shared roadmap for the months ahead.
Expanding Partnerships
On the final day, the spotlight shifted outward. A hybrid synergy workshop brought together representatives from the U_CAN pilot cities and the EU Mission Cities, creating space to share strategies, discuss challenges, and explore new pathways for cooperation. This exchange underlined the value of mutual learning – how cities from across Europe can benefit from each other’s experience, and how Ukrainian cities, in turn, contribute innovation, resilience, and perspective.
About U_CAN. Ukraine towards Carbon Neutrality
The U_CAN project, funded by Horizon Europe and led by WISSENSARCHITEKTUR - Laboratory of Knowledge Architecture, seeks to support Ukrainian cities on their path toward climate neutrality.
Aligned with the European Green Deal (EGD) and the EU's mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities (CNSC), the project aims to facilitate a practical bottom-up approach for Ukrainian municipalities to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Despite the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, this project offers a comprehensive framework to foster climate resilience and sustainable urban development in Ukrainian cities through international cooperation, capacity-building, and knowledge transfer.