The Ministry of Climate and Environment is working on the National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change, along with the Adaptation Action Plan
24.03.2026
"Adaptation is a shield for our towns and villages. Thanks to it, our roads, power grids and homes will be better prepared for storms and heatwaves. It simply pays off - by preventing threats today, we save billions in the future. Actions such as water retention and river renaturation also increase security in the classic geopolitical sense," said Deputy Minister of Climate and Environment Urszula Zielińska during the "Security and Resilience" conference inaugurating the development of the National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change along with the Adaptation Action Plan.
Highlights
- The national climate change adaptation strategy will cover the period up to 2040. It will comprise an analytical section (including a climate risk assessment) and a strategic section focusing on priority and most vulnerable sectors – such as water management, agriculture and spatial planning.
- The adaptation action plan will be updated every four years. It will set out, amongst other things, a list of measures required in the sector in question, the institutions responsible for each measure and the institutions involved, as well as the estimated cost and source of funding.
- The strategy will ensure oversight of the implementation of the country’s adaptation policy. It will be based on scientific knowledge and climate data, including the climate risk analysis developed by the Institute of Environmental Protection as part of the Klimada 3.0 project.
- The kick-off meeting for the strategy development took place on March 24, 2026.
- Work on the strategy will be supported as part of a project funded under the European Funds Programme for Infrastructure, Climate and the Environment. The cost of the project is over PLN 4 million.
Increasingly frequent droughts, heat waves, flash floods and extreme weather phenomena require a systemic state response. The work on the strategy, which we are formally launching today, is a concrete response to these challenges
– said Deputy Minister Urszula Zielińska.
During the Security and Resilience conference, it was discussed that adaptation must become an integral element of sectoral policies. An effective response to climate change requires the integration of climate change adaptation into spatial planning, water management, agriculture, energy, transport, healthcare, and urban and regional policy.
Cross-sectoral cooperation
The national adaptation strategy, together with the adaptation action plan, is intended to translate into concrete measures across the entire economy. This approach will involve, among other things, the development of green spaces in cities and water retention.
This comprehensive approach was reflected in the participation of Deputy Minister of National Defense Cezary Tomczyk and Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Małgorzata Gromadzka in the event. The involvement of the ministries they represent is absolutely crucial to the proper preparation and effective implementation of the adaptation strategy. Cooperation with the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development demonstrates that building climate resilience is the foundation of national security – both in the geostrategic dimension, protecting critical infrastructure and operational capabilities, as well as ensuring the stability of Polish agriculture and the country's long-term food security.
Local governments, ministries, research institutes, universities, non-governmental organizations, and businesses will be involved in preparing the strategy. The Ministry of Climate and Environment has planned to organise workshops with stakeholders in each of the 16 provinces. Work on the strategy in an inter-ministerial task force will enable the analysis of the needs of specific areas in terms of climate change adaptation and building Poland's climate resilience.