Cooperation of coal regions and local development – the main takeaways from the mining towns’ visit to Lviv region

18 June 2021

On 16-18 June the heads of local authorities, which are part of the Platform for Sustainable Development of Coal Towns of Donetsk Region, as well as mining towns of Luhansk and Volyn regions, visited Lviv region. The trip’s main objective was the exchange of best practices of local development, attraction of additional investments and implementation of innovative projects.

The first day began with a meeting with the head of the Lviv Regional Council, who highlighted the importance of joint actions, institutionalization and formalization of cooperation between different communities. Such associations, from her experience, have higher chances of attracting funds and successfully implementing joint projects.

The next stop was Zhovkva, where the delegation visited a modernized town boiler house, which works on wood chips and had a guided tour around the Renaissance town center. Zhovkva’s experience in implementing energy efficiency measures is a good example to follow.

The second day was dedicated to getting to know coal mining towns of Lviv region – Chervonohrad and Sokal.

In Chervonohrad water purification facilities, renovated under EU’s international cross-border project, were visited, as well as a sewing factory, built with private investment, and a renovated town hospital.

In turn, local authorities of Sokal presented how the territory attracts European Union funds for the implementation of projects in the field of road and tourism development in the Poland-Belarus-Ukraine direction.

On the last day, representatives of coal mining towns visited Skoly, where they had the opportunity to join the mayor and the head of the Skhidnytsia community on the territory of the State Historical and Cultural Reserve “Tustan”. It is an illustrative example of a successful public-private partnership.

This trip was jointly organized by NGOs Luhansk Regional Human Rights Center “Alternativa”, Ecoaction and Germanwatch within the project “New Energy – New Opportunities for Sustainable Development of Donbas”, and the Association of Local Self-Governments “Euroregion Carpathians – Ukraine“.

We would like to remind that on May 21st, 2019 representatives of local authorities and civil society of Vuhledar, Dobropillia, Myrnohrad, Novohrodivka, Pokrovsk and Selidove signed a Memorandum of Partnership and created a Platform for Sustainable Development of Coal Towns of Donetsk Region. As of 2021 there are 9 towns in the Platform.

Photos: Anna Yutchenko