On October 13, 2023, a regional business webinar “Approximation to EU Standards and Opportunities for Ukrainian Business: Experience of the Western Region” was held within the framework of the project “European Studies for Technical Specialties at Lviv Polytechnic National University (EUSTS)” with the support of the EU Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Program.
The event was held in a hybrid format and brought together more than 50 participants: representatives of business, government, and academia to discuss the European integration aspirations of Lviv region in terms of climate resilience and energy security. The intense three-hour discussion of practitioners allowed us to summarize the results, voice the problems, and outline the prospects for the development of the Western region on the way to EU standards in the field of ecology, energy, bioeconomy, water resources, coal potential, and forestry.
The business webinar was opened by Professor Yaryna Turchyn, EUSTS Project Manager, who focused on the assessment of European integration in the regions, mainly Lviv. The speaker emphasized how deeply European integration has penetrated into different regions of the country, as well as how local authorities have been able to use the opportunities provided by European partners to implement EU standards, develop regions, and human potential. In turn, Olena Lukachuk, EUSTS project participant, revealed the potential of Ukraine's candidate status and its importance for the European integration of Lviv region, and emphasized certain areas of sectoral integration: environment, energy, transport, and digitalization.
The webinar featured presentations by well-known practitioners on the EU's European Green Deal, renewable energy, and climate and environmental sustainability in Ukraine. Thus, Orest Kyiko, PhD, Professor, Head of the Department of Furniture and Wood Products Technology at the National Forestry University of Ukraine, revealed the features of the Lviv Region Bioeconomy Development Strategy, which he developed, and shared his experience in its implementation, monitoring and introduction of current changes. At the same time, the speaker outlined the components of green transformations in Ukraine, prospects and challenges for the development of the forestry sector, formats of cooperation with local authorities on forestry and bioeconomy in the Lviv region for the period of 2021–2027, as well as the New European Bauhaus concept and its implementation in Ukraine in the context of post-war recovery.
Vadym Tabakera, Deputy Director of the Economic Policy Department - Head of the Regional Development Department of the Lviv Regional State Administration, outlined the practical steps of implementing the European Green Deal for the Western Region, revealed the peculiarities of strategic planning and microregional economy, the benefits of using the Lviv Region Analytical Portal, the main areas of support for structural changes in the coal regions of Ukraine with the possible attraction of European investments, and outlined the promotional strategy for the region's investment attractiveness. The students were very interested in the information about the support of youth startups by the regional authorities and the Program for Promoting Innovation and Scientific and Technological Development in Lviv Region.
Nataliia Kruta, Deputy Head of the Western Bug and San River Basin Water Resources Management Authority, using the example of the Vistula River Basin, revealed the problems of water management in Ukraine, announced river basin management plans, outlined the main components of the Vistula River Basin Management Program (VRBMP) and the involvement of international partners in achieving environmental goals by means of the water and soil monitoring laboratory operating in the region. The discussion focused on the implementation of European standards on the status and preservation of water resources in Ukraine in accordance with the EU Water Framework Directive and the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement.
Serhii Pylypiv, founder of Grafix (Kharkiv), chairman of the Environment Committee of Rotary International District 2232, shared his experience in using renewable energy in business. Grafix is engaged in painting of equipment using green energy sources and is one of the Top 3 exporters of painting equipment in Ukraine. The Grafix team has developed a project to create a system for generating 1 billion MW of clean renewable energy, including the production of Green Mill compressed air wind turbines, and plans to launch 100 wind turbines in 2024-2025 by attracting $1 million in grant funds. Serhii Pylypiv also invited students to participate in an environmental campaign to plant hundreds of large oaks on October 14, 2023. Lviv Polytechnic young people actively participated in the discussion on renewable energy, and the most creative students received incentive prizes from Grafix.
In total, there were 53 participants, including students, teachers, and representatives of regional authorities and businesses.
The EUSTS project team is grateful to all participants for interesting discussions, professional presentations, sharing best practices, and developing new ideas to ensure Ukraine's climate, environmental, and energy sustainability.
The webinar was moderated by Professor Yaryna Turchyn (Department of Political Science and International Relations) and Associate Professor Olena Lukachuk (Department of Political Science and International Relations).
Associate Professors Oleksandr Markovets and Nataliia Vovk (Department of Social Communications and Information Activities), Lidiia Kasha (Department of Electromechatronics and Computerized Electromechanical Systems), Oleh Tsebenko, Olha Ivasechko and Iryna Sukhorolska (Department of Political Science and International Relations) also joined the event.
More information about EUSTS can be found on the project's website within the Lviv Polytechnic Portal.
