The Rivne community received a European grant for $972.5 thousand, i.e. almost 40 million hryvnias, to combat climate change as part of the NetZeroCities program.
The city plans to reduce carbon emissions and the level of environmental pollution, implement energy-efficient measures, etc., Suspilne reports.
It is noted that NetZeroCities covers 52 pilot European cities. The program will be implemented together with local higher education institutions, public organizations and with the help of experts from EU countries. It will last for 2 years.
Volodymyr Lipko, director of the economic development department of the Rivne City Council, said that the community was looking for an opportunity to summarize data on losses and needs in the form of the city's energy passport.
"We understood that the way in which organized heat production takes place in our city, the way we spend our resources, cannot continue like this," he said.
It is noted that within the framework of the grant in the city:
- create an energy passport of the community;
- develop scenarios for the city's transition to zero CO2 emissions by 2050;
- educational institutions of the municipality will conduct training and promotion on energy efficiency.
"In order to develop a transition scenario, we first need to conduct an inventory of all our costs and all our generation capabilities, to see our emissions," said Lipko.
He emphasized that currently there is no "general picture" of all emissions in the city. However, the grant will help develop scenarios for the city's transition to zero CO2 emissions by 2050.
Lipko explained that the received information will be provided to investors who will build facilities in the city. The transition to climate neutrality is long-term, so the city will involve international and Ukrainian experts to develop the scenario.
He noted that in Rivne there are boiler plants operating on wood chips, which pollute the air. Perhaps modern hydrogen boiler houses, which are built in the EU, will be built in the city.
Lypko emphasized that during the implementation of the grant program, the city will rely on research and scientific opinion.
As EcoPolitic previously reported, the Vinnytsia urban territorial community was the first in Ukraine to declare a пreen course within the framework of the European Green course.
