Response and Renewal in Ukrainian Cities: Systems Thinking Approaches Towards Sustainable Adaptation and Resiliency

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in cooperation with the European Union (EU), launched the Mayors for Economic Growth (M4EG) Facility in 2021. The Capstone team focused on supporting urban reshaping and economic development in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) region using innovative solutions. The M4EG aims to transform local governments into proactive agents of economic growth and job creation. This facility employs holistic, hyper-local approaches to foster urban transformation and economic development in municipalities across the region. Central to this approach is building municipal capacities to promote innovation and manage complexity and uncertainty using deep social listening, systems thinking, and human-centered design.

In the context of Ukraine, the Capstone team's emphasis on learning and experimentation, along with the use of systems-based, participatory, and hyper-local approaches to recovery and renewal, stands out as a distinct innovation in development and crisis response. This assessment aimed to ensure these methods create innovations in municipality development and influence local social and economic activities during complex post-war situations. The Capstone team's research highlighted the effectiveness of the M4EG Facility in Ukraine, particularly noting strong performance in areas like social listening and targeted training despite challenges related to procurement, security risks, and financial constraints. By evaluating the initiative’s three core grant programs—Portfolio Cities, Urban Imaginaries, and Response and Renewal Grants—across eight case study cities, the report underscored the resilience and adaptability of Ukrainian municipalities and advocates for a continued focus on participatory, holistic approaches and peer learning to bolster sustainable urban development, recovery, and transformation.