Urbanisation is a global trend, which can be also observed in Poland. Currently, the population of Polish cities is estimated at about 23.3 million people, which constitutes more than 60% of its population. The scale of urban problems, as well as challenges and development opportunities, is very large, said Vice-Minister Mazurek.

In his speech, Vice-Minister Sławomir Mazurek stressed that the Ministry of Environment undertakes a number of activities that are targeted at urban areas, taking into account the quality of life of their residents.

First of all, the Ministry fights against the exposure of residents of cities to smog. The ‘Clean Air’ programme, which the Ministry carries out, is a concrete measure aimed at improving air quality in Poland, the Vice-Minister added.

He also pointed out the importance of implementing projects aimed at strengthening our climate resilience.

The implementation of a circular economy will enable more efficient use of resources at a local level. It also shows how to achieve a modern, sustainable, human-friendly and nature-friendly economic model, he said.

Vice-Minister Mazurek also stressed the importance the Urban Adaptation Plans – a project of the Ministry of Environment, carried out jointly with the largest cities in Poland.

The participatory model of the UAP project implementation will provide, among other things, better chances for successful implementation of these plans, and thus improve the safety and quality of life of the residents, the Vice-Minister said.

Thanks to the “Cooperation for the Implementation of National Urban Policy and the New Urban Agenda” declaration signed during the meeting, the cities will be able to count on support in faster achievement of sustainable development objectives, as well as in monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of undertaken actions.