Coal Communities of Ukraine: Strengthening Strategic Capacity on the Path to Just Transition
The Association has recently become a grantee of the International Renaissance Foundation and is officially launching the year-long project “Coal Communities of Ukraine: Strengthening Strategic Capacity on the Path to Just Transition.”
What does this mean for coal regions?
Volyn and Lviv regions have already approved their Just Transition Action Plans, and in 2025 the Government adopted the State Target Program for the Transformation of Coal Regions.
However, communities that have depended on the coal industry for decades need practical support to update their development strategies in line with new national approaches and emerging opportunities.
Project Goal
To enhance the readiness of three pilot communities — Sheptytskyi, Sokal, and Novovolynsk — for the practical implementation of just transition policies.
This includes adapting their strategic and programmatic documents to national and regional plans, as well as creating tools that can be used by other coal communities across Ukraine.
Why is this important?
Just transition is not only about the economy.
It is about people, new opportunities, and a future in which every coal community can move toward sustainable development while preserving social cohesion.
We believe this project will be an important step toward strengthening local capacity, ensuring transparent planning, and engaging communities in meaningful decision-making.
