19–20 November 2025, Munich. While the introductory event in Munich allowed the Ukrainian and Mission City representatives to exchange and collaborate, the following days brought some of the most tangible and hands-on moments of the entire programme. Through site-visits and workshops, Ukrainian Flagship Municipalities had direct exposure to Munich’s (an Mentor City in the Partnership Programme) climate-neutral solutions and the practical tools behind them.
The atmosphere throughout remained warm, focused and full of purpose. Ukrainian representatives and SUN4Ukraine partners all left Munich inspired, informed and more connected than ever.
19 November: On-Site Learning Across Munich’s Energy and Mobility Transformations
The 12 Ukrainian Flagship Municipalities were able to witness Munich’s climate transition on the ground, starting with the geothermal power plant in Riem and the ASCEND Positive Energy District in the Harthof neighbourhood.
Geothermal Power Plant, Riem: A Look at Munich’s Clean Heat Future
Riem is one of Munich’s flagship renewable-energy installations, helping the city replace fossil-based heat with deep geothermal energy. Discussions covered:
- renewable heat generation and its long-term cost advantages
- integration into municipal heat grids
- governance and planning for large-scale heat transformation
- lessons relevant for cities rebuilding damaged heating infrastructure
Harthof: A Positive Energy District in Action
In the afternoon, the delegation travelled north to Munich’s ASCEND Positive Energy District (PED) in Harthof, where they were welcomed by project experts Andreas Baernreuther and Stefan Synek.
Participants received a detailed introduction to the ASCEND project, its ambitions, challenges and achievements so far. Key themes included retrofitting and insulating residential buildings, integrating homes into a smart district heating system, local mobility solutions, and ownership structures in multi-apartment housing blocks.
Following the presentation, Ukrainian representatives toured the neighbourhood, seeing the changes with their own eyes. Engagement from the Flagship Municipalities was high throughout the visit. For many, the ASCEND project illustrated how systematic, district-level transformation can be achieved even within complex governance and ownership structures.
20 November: A Full-Day Workshop on Climate Governance and Planning
The final day in Munich brought everyone back together for a full-day workshop hosted by Munich’s technical experts and SUN4Ukraine’s Capacity Building coordinators. This practical session focused on equipping Ukrainian municipalities with the tools needed to move from vision to implementation.
The training covered:
- stakeholder mapping for climate neutrality
- climate governance models at city level
- designing and drafting Climate City Contracts (CCC)
- monitoring systems and indicators
- aligning long-term climate goals with immediate recovery needs
A dedicated reflection session brought emotional yet constructive insights from Ukrainian delegates. These exchanges reinforced a central message of the programme: that Ukrainian cities are contributing essential expertise on resilience and crisis adaptation that Mission Cities can learn from.
Energy, Connection and Shared Purpose
Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive. Ukrainian municipalities returned home energised, equipped with new ideas and ready to continue developing their commitment to moving forward on their Climate Neutrality Plans.
The atmosphere, the connections formed and the amount accomplished over four days were truly exceptional. As summarised by Lesya Tymoshenko, project coordinator “We have created something really special together – a model of genuine solidarity, collaboration, and friendship.”
What Comes Next
With site visits complete and roadmaps underway, the project now moves into its next major phase, continuing with the work on the Climate Neutrality Plans, in partnership with the Ukrainian Flagship Municipalities early next year.
The journey continues, stronger than ever.