On August 20, Lviv welcomed a delegation of German government officials led by Karsten Schneider, Germany’s Federal Minister for the Environment, Climate Protection, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety. The discussions focused on energy security and independence for Ukrainian cities, urban resilience, infrastructure development, and opportunities for cooperation with German businesses.

The visit began with a tour of a residential building in the Sykhiv district that was modernized and insulated with the support of German partners. Solar panels were also installed on its rooftop.

“We have a long-standing and very practical cooperation with our partner cities in Germany in the areas of healthcare, energy, environmental protection, and infrastructure. This apartment building is not only a strong example of effective cooperation, but also another step toward strengthening the energy efficiency and resilience of our city,” said Andriy Moskalenko, First Deputy Mayor of Lviv.

Energy, Water Supply and Waste Management

A meeting was held at Lviv City Hall with representatives of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building (BMWSB), the Embassy of Germany in Ukraine, and German companies operating in the fields of energy, municipal infrastructure, water supply, waste management, and environmental technologies.

“For Lviv, it is important today not simply to restore what has been damaged or worn out, but to build a city that will be resilient and modern in the future. The war has clearly shown us how important energy independence, efficient use of resources, modern infrastructure, and an accessible urban environment are. That is why cooperation with our German partners is extremely important to us. We already have strong and friendly ties with cities such as Frankfurt and Freiburg. I hope that our cooperation with Germany will continue to expand across different sectors and areas,” said Andriy Moskalenko, First Deputy Mayor of Lviv.

The meeting focused on renewable energy, water management, waste management, and improving energy efficiency. The parties also discussed opportunities for cooperation between Lviv City Council, municipal enterprises, and German companies in implementing infrastructure and investment projects.

Sören Bartol, Parliamentary State Secretary at Germany’s Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building, noted that Germany is committed to supporting Ukraine and Ukrainian communities in implementing modern solutions for sustainable development and reconstruction. He also emphasized the importance of partnerships between cities, businesses, and public institutions in building a resilient future.

“The companies that have come here are developing modern technologies in areas such as solar energy, biogas production, wastewater analysis, rainwater retention, and other environmental solutions. These are exactly the kinds of technologies Lviv needs today,” said Oleksandra Sladkova, Deputy Director of the Economic Development Department of Lviv City Council, who coordinates projects focused on implementing green technologies.

German partners were presented with Lviv’s district heating, water supply and wastewater systems, as well as the city’s street lighting network and plans for projects involving energy generation from waste. The discussions included specific data on resource consumption and the potential of waste as a source of energy.

The city is particularly interested in cooperation with German companies that have the technologies needed to develop projects at the intersection of energy, environmental protection, and waste management.

Lviv currently collects around 10% of its organic waste separately. If kitchen waste were collected in full, the volume of mixed waste could be reduced by at least half, while the city could gain an additional source of renewable energy.

Delegation Visits UNBROKEN and the “Lviv North” Concept

As part of the visit, the German delegation also visited the UNBROKEN rehabilitation center, social housing, and learned about the “Lviv North” development concept, presented by Lviv’s Chief Architect, Anton Kolomeytsev.

For Lviv, cooperation with German partners covers several areas — from energy efficiency and renewable energy to municipal infrastructure, resource management, and urban planning.

Photo: Lviv City Council