The City with Climate initiative was launched in 2020, garnering a lot of interest from both local governments and the public, leading to the decision to continue it in 2021 and beyond. The City with Climate programme will be implemented according to an extended formula, including activities proposed by the units subordinate to and supervised by the Ministry of Climate.

The objective of the City with Climate programme is to disseminate modern, effective and efficient solutions that improve the quality of life of the residents and increase the cities' resilience to the effects of climate change. Based on the application submitted by the city to the Ministry of Climate and Environment, an analysis of the actions taken by the cities will be carried out to measure the results of the implementation of environmental and climate policies. The analysis will concern several categories, including air quality, urban greenery, transport, energy transition and water retention.

The priorities of the Ministry of Climate and Environment in the area of urban policy include improving air quality, energy sector transition, combating the increasingly widespread concretisation – replacing the ever-present concrete with green areas, as well as promoting sustainable spatial planning and developing ecological means of transport. All these activities are included in the agenda of the City with Climate programme, the second edition of which we are pleased to announce today. That is why we are meeting in Brwinów, a town that can serve as a showcase for this initiative

- said Minister Michał Kurtyka.

Municipal climate change adaptation plans help cities identify risks and needs related to the climate change. Their preparation and subsequent implementation contributes primarily to improving the safety of residents, while also protecting them from the harmful effects of climate change. The MPA also means an opportunity for more effective projects, which can be partially financed from the wide range of programmes run by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, as well as for investments under the City with Climate programme announced by the Minister of Climate and Environment

- pointed out Prof. Maciej Chorowski, President of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management. 

The key assumptions of the new version of the programme were presented by the Director of the Institute of Environmental Protection – National Research, dr Krystian Szczepański.

The 20 cities with the best scores will get access to tailored advisory services concerning the selected areas of building resilience, chosen in partnership with the local government. This service will be carried out by a consortium coordinated by the Institute of Environmental Protection - National Research Institute and financed by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management

- said Director Krystian Szczepański. The consortium will also include other institutes and entities operating as part of the Ministry of Climate and Environment.

Cities will get advisory support in the process of updating strategic and planning documents, along with a roadmap of climate transformation of the city. The roadmap will list strategic projects that will receive priority support in the framework of the New Financial Perspective 2021-2027

- explained Krystian Szczepański, the consortium leader.

Since last year the City with Climate programme has conducted a survey of the progress of cities in terms of implementation of their environmental policies, a series of workshops for the cities, a competition for the best implemented project, a competition for youth from municipal secondary schools entitled “School with Climate”, as well as the City with Climate competition for the best urban solutions in green and blue infrastructure.

The Brwinów municipality strives to ensure the best possible living conditions for its residents. This means planning for sustainable development, taking care of public greenery, as well as carrying out green projects. The municipality offers great climate – both for the residents, whose number increases year by year, and for ecological investments. The latter include our municipal sports hall, certified as a passive building, and the growing network of bicycle paths. I am glad that our investments are appreciated and distinguished as innovative

said Mayor Arkadiusz Kosiński.

The cities, which win the new edition of the programme may receive the title of a City with Climate in one or several categories. They will be able to boast their distinction on information boards on public buildings, as well as appropriate graphics which they will be able to use in their communication (on the Internet, on letterheads etc.) The cities which stand out in this regard will also receive specialist strategic advisory services from renowned institutions such as the Institute of Environmental Protection, the Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas and the National Energy Conservation Agency. In this way, we want to support the planning and implementation of climate and environmental policies at the local level. Together with experts, we want cities to develop their roadmaps for climate transformation and set ambitious goals in this process.

Detailed information on the programme is available on the website of the Ministry of Climate and Environment.