As climate change intensifies, cities need better tools to understand their risks and prepare for the future. Through the CLIMAAX (CLIMAte Risk and Vulnerability Assessment Framework and Toolbox) initiative, Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi is taking an important step toward strengthening its resilience to climate-related hazards.
Located on the banks of the Dniester Estuary near the Black Sea, Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi is increasingly exposed to flash floods, stormwater runoff, landslides, and environmental degradation. These challenges threaten critical infrastructure, public services, local livelihoods, and the fragile ecosystem of the Dniester Estuary.
The ongoing war in Ukraine has further intensified these challenges. As national resources are necessarily directed toward defence, humanitarian assistance, and emergency response, local authorities face growing constraints in investing in long-term climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction. At the same time, protecting vital natural assets such as the Dniester Estuary has become even more difficult, despite their importance for biodiversity, fisheries, water quality, and local livelihoods.
Yet this challenging context also presents an important opportunity. As Ukraine advances its recovery and reconstruction while progressing toward EU integration, climate adaptation should be placed at the heart of rebuilding efforts. Reconstructing infrastructure that is more resilient to floods, extreme weather, and future climate risks will help ensure that investments made today remain sustainable, safeguard communities, and reduce future economic losses.
Using the CLIMAAX methodology, the city will develop comprehensive climate risk datasets, Local Climate Risk Management Plans, and Climate Adaptation Strategies based on scientific evidence and local conditions. The project will establish a standardized framework for assessing climate risks, enabling better planning, improved emergency preparedness, and more effective long-term adaptation measures.
The initiative will also identify practical actions that can deliver long-term resilience. These include mapping and assessing public and private urban green spaces to support greener city planning and help prevent illegal tree removal, exploring options for municipal small-scale water retention facilities to reduce flood risks as part of post-war reconstruction, and undertaking an early feasibility assessment for an integrated stormwater management system to better manage heavy rainfall and protect communities, infrastructure, and the Dniester Estuary.
A key component of the initiative is the Bankability LAB, which will help transform priority climate adaptation measures, particularly flood mitigation projects, into investment-ready proposals. Planned interventions will be evaluated for their eligibility for funding from the European Union, international financial institutions, development partners, and post-war reconstruction programmes. The process will also support the preparation of essential project documentation, including feasibility studies and environmental impact assessments, strengthening the city’s ability to secure external financing.
By shifting from reactive responses to proactive climate planning, Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi is laying the foundation for a safer, more sustainable future. As an EU candidate country, Ukraine has significant opportunities to align reconstruction investments with European climate resilience objectives. Through evidence-based planning and investment-ready adaptation projects, municipalities can transform climate risks into opportunities to build stronger infrastructure, healthier ecosystems, and more resilient communities.
Together, science, innovation, and international cooperation can help ensure that Ukraine’s recovery is not only about rebuilding what has been lost, but about building back better, creating cities that are safer, greener, and better prepared for the climate challenges of the future.
