The Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome brought together over 6,000 participants from around the world — from governments and donors to communities and civil society organizations. Our long-time partners — Ecoaction, Ecoclub, and other environmental NGOs — were present in person to make one thing clear: sustainable development is not optional, it is essential.

🔍 What was achieved?
✅ A Recovery Fund was established with the participation of Germany, France, Poland, Italy, and the EIB
✅ The EU and EBRD will invest €1.5 billion in the development of 1 GW of renewable energy
✅ An EU aid package worth €2.3 billion — including support for communities and NGOs
✅ €600 million from the European Investment Fund for SMEs, transport, and energy efficiency
✅ New partnerships between Ukrainian and Italian cities

However, despite the visible presence of civil society at the conference:
⚠️ Its voices were almost entirely absent from key panels
⚠️ The environmental recovery panel lacked independent Ukrainian expertise
⚠️ Issues of security, countering disinformation, and social cohesion were largely overlooked

Many NGOs emphasized a deep disconnect between official platforms and the real needs on the ground. The conference program was structured in a way that effectively excluded full participation by civil society organizations. This is deeply concerning, as sustainable development is impossible without open dialogue between authorities and civil society.

The situation was further exacerbated by recent developments in Ukraine — particularly legislative initiatives threatening the independence of anti-corruption institutions. Weakening such institutions calls into question the feasibility of implementing environmental reforms, as oversight bodies require independent monitoring — including by entities like NABU.

Protests in Ukraine and public debates about the future of the anti-corruption infrastructure have only intensified concerns about the transparency of processes and the genuine inclusion of civil society — at local, regional, and national levels.

📣 Anna Ackermann, board member of Ecoaction, summarized:

“We saw more openness — but also a deeper gap between high-level platforms and reality. Without a clear focus on security and without the participation of Ukrainian experts and frontline communities, no recovery process will be sustainable.”

We are working to ensure these voices are heard. Together with Ukrainian partners:
✔️ We developed a roadmap for sustainable recovery
✔️ We delivered environmental recommendations to the government
✔️ We maintain ongoing dialogue with international donors

The next #URC conference will take place in Poland. Our key demands:
🔹 Equal inclusion of communities, NGOs, and local experts in all decision-making processes
🔹 Strong international support for Ukraine’s air defense — in view of the ongoing and growing threat of missile and drone attacks by Russia
🔹 Environmentally safe, transparent, and green recovery must become a mandatory and cross-cutting principle