The RISE4UKRAINE project is co-financed by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme. It supports the reconstruction of four conflict-affected regions in Ukraine — rural, urban and coastal — by showcasing how bio-based and nature-based solutions can meet urgent humanitarian and restoration needs while driving long-term resilience. Guided by the Build Back Better, Greener principles, the project delivers community-driven solutions across six priority sectors: housing, agriculture, water and sanitation, forestry, brownfields, and cultural heritage.

The Central European Initiative – Executive Secretariat (CEI-ES) leads the two work packages on dissemination, exploitation and international cooperation, acting as the project's dissemination and communication manager. Building on its intergovernmental network and policy reach across Central and Eastern Europe, the CEI-ES supports policy alignment, engages decision-makers at local, national, EU and global levels, and contributes to the analysis of bottlenecks hindering bio-based and nature-based green reconstruction.

RISE4UKRAINE addresses fragmented data by providing robust evidence through digital twins, life-cycle assessments and small-scale demonstrations, enabling policymakers and communities to visualise future pathways and reduce uncertainty. Through inclusive Reconstruction Hubs (ReHubs), local actors co-design reconstruction roadmaps tailored to regional realities, environmental damage, humanitarian needs, biomass availability and circular opportunities. The project will produce guidelines and policy recommendations, creating a blueprint for sustainable, inclusive recovery in Ukraine and other conflict-affected regions.