The conference marking the 15th anniversary of the “Covenant of Mayors – East” took place on May 20–21, 2026, in Chișinău, Republic of Moldova. The event brought together representatives of European institutions, municipalities, international financial organizations, and the expert community to discuss the future of climate policy, energy resilience, and the role of local self-government in achieving sustainable energy and climate development goals. The Deputy Mayor of Zhytomyr, Serhii Kondratiuk, participated in the conference.

The core discussions focused on energy security, decarbonization, climate change adaptation, financing of climate projects, and comprehensive urban resilience amid multiple crises. Special attention was given to the shift from strategic planning to practical project implementation and fundraising. During panel discussions, participants explored new approaches to financing climate projects, the development of public-private partnership mechanisms, the role of international financial institutions, and the need to prepare high-quality investment-ready projects, as well as multi-level governance and cooperation between local authorities, state institutions, civil society, and international partners. This approach is now seen as a foundation of effective energy and climate policy in Europe.

Despite the war and numerous challenges, Ukrainian cities continue to integrate European governance standards, implement climate plans, and develop energy independence projects.

Background:

Zhytomyr has been a signatory of the European initiative “Covenant of Mayors” since 2012. At that time, the city committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing energy efficiency, and developing sustainable energy in line with European approaches. One of the first strategic steps was the implementation of the Sustainable Energy Action Plan up to 2020. This document laid the foundation for systematic energy management, modernization of municipal infrastructure, and the introduction of energy-efficient solutions in the public sector. The results are measurable: according to the monitoring report on the implementation of the Action Plan for 2015–2020, Zhytomyr reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 36.1% in the defined sectors. For the city, this is not only a statistical indicator but evidence that consistent local policy can deliver real change even amid security and economic challenges.

The next stage for the community was joining the “Covenant of Mayors – East” with updated voluntary commitments and the adoption in 2025 of a new strategic document — the Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan of the Zhytomyr Urban Territorial Community until 2050. The document sets a long-term vision for decarbonization, energy resilience, climate change adaptation, and the environmental transformation of the urban environment.