The Lviv Agglomeration has successfully concluded Ukraine's first-ever metropolitan citizens' assembly, organised with the Congress support and focused on the sustainable preservation and use of water resources. Over three intensive sessions of learning, deliberation and joint work, local residents collaborated with experts to co-design 19 practical recommendations, which have been delivered to the local authorities of the Agglomeration's 13 communities.
"How can we preserve and use our water resources sustainably?" This critical question brought together residents from across the Agglomeration in a pioneering deliberative process, which culminated in the assembly's final session in Lviv on 11 and 12 July 2026.
Throughout the process, participants worked alongside 13 experts in water management, environmental protection, local development and intermunicipal co-operation, as well as representatives of local authorities from all 13 member communities, to transform shared ecological concerns into concrete municipal policies.
The 19 final recommendations target critical, systemic issues across the metropolitan area, focusing on:
- Joint water management: Developing shared tools and frameworks across the Lviv Agglomeration to manage water resources co-operatively.
- Infrastructure upgrades: Supporting households in connecting to central sewerage networks and modernising local wastewater treatment facilities.
- Eco-protection and reuse: Implementing rainwater harvesting systems and strictly eliminating illegal dumpsites that threaten local water quality.
- Awareness and engagement: Launching targeted campaigns on responsible water consumption and strengthening public participation in environmental protection.
The recommendations were officially presented to local leaders and representatives of the Lviv Agglomeration, who provided positive feedback and began outlining possible first steps for implementation.
For the participants, the citizens' assembly was not just about environmental policy, but a powerful lesson in civic empowerment and deliberative democracy. "I was impressed by the amount of information provided on the use of water resources and the causes of water pollution," shared one participant. "At the beginning, there were many scattered and unformed thoughts, while by the end there was a clear understanding of the problem and concrete ideas for solutions. I greatly enjoyed taking part in this event and having the opportunity to express my opinion."
The preparation and implementation of the citizens' assembly were conducted as part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine "Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction" for 2023-2026 and the project "Strengthening multilevel governance and local democracy to support Ukraine's recovery", implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. The project provided comprehensive expert and methodological support for the organisation and implementation of citizens' assemblies in the Rivne community, the Obolon district of Kyiv, and the Lviv Agglomeration in 2026. In October 2025, bilateral memorandums of understanding were signed in Strasbourg.
