What truly matters for Kremenchuk — when it comes to climate, public space, and everyday life?

Together with the working group, we explored these questions during an in-person meeting held as part of the project "Kremenchuk – Urban Climate Resilience Strategy."

We presented our initial ideas for a city vision rooted in a values-based approach. The presentation included concrete proposals across key thematic areas: accessibility, green mobility, blue-green infrastructure, water management and safety, heat stress mitigation, green energy, and cultural heritage.

We received valuable feedback from the participants — what resonated with them, what they felt was missing, and which aspects need further development. It was especially important to hear that the community expects this vision to function in practice and guide future decision-making in the city.

On the same day, a public presentation of the joint research with Greenpeace, “Dnipro River Integrated Vision”, and the opening of the exhibition in Kremenchuk took place.
Fulco Treffers and Svitlana Usychenko shared the study’s key findings, including three possible development scenarios for the river: restoring conditions to those of 2021, redesigning damaged water flows, and a radical return to a natural state. Kremenchuk was one of the case studies in this research.

🔹 Following the presentation, a panel discussion brought together representatives of the city government, water utility, civil society, and independent experts. The conversation focused on how to adapt global ideas to the local context, what river restoration means for Kremenchuk, and how this aligns with the city’s climate strategy.

🔹 Several critical questions emerged during the discussion:
Are we losing something essential by focusing primarily on the visual aspects of public spaces? Which natural features are overlooked in urban planning?
And how can informal practices — like daily walking routes, temporary structures, and micro-infrastructure — be acknowledged and integrated into the city’s long-term vision?

This project is implemented with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine (EKN).