What is the National Development Concept 2050?

Thanks to the broad involvement of stakeholders, including representatives from the scientific community, NDC 2050 introduces a new quality in strategic planning and promotes a culture of long-term thinking within public administration. It enables the early identification of weaknesses in public policies and makes it possible to develop flexible and resilient solutions.

NDC 2050 provides the analytical foundation for medium-term policies, including regional and urban policy, as well as sectoral strategies. It does not contain specific objectives or implementation actions – instead, it serves as a strategic diagnostic framework and indicates long-term directions for action. The operationalisation of its challenges will take place in other strategic documents.

What does the NDC 2050 consist of?

• an analysis of global and European megatrends that influence Poland’s development;
• a vision of Poland in 2050: a modern, resilient, green, and inclusive state that ensures a high quality of life for its citizens;
• 4 development scenarios that help prepare public policies for different future pathways;
• 4 main long-term challenges: a socially inclusive transformation that addresses demographic trends and housing needs, a modern economy that respects the environment, a resilient and secure state, and a balanced, sustainable spatial development;
• key conclusions that form the basis for programming development policy in the medium term.

Key takeaways

NDC 2050 highlights that Poland's future will largely depend on its capacity to adapt to global processes, including climate change, geopolitical tensions, technological and social transformations. In response to these challenges, the document identifies four main areas of transformation:

• social transformation – inclusive of all social groups and aimed at preventing the deepening of inequalities;
• modern economy – innovative, competitive, and respectful of climate constraints;
• resilient state – effective, forward-looking, and with a strong position in Europe and globally;
• sustainable territorial development – ensuring a high quality of life across different types of territories and balancing human needs with environmental protection.

As part of the work on NDC 2050, megatrends were analysed in order to provide a comprehensive analytical foundation for formulating a Vision for Poland in 2050, defining development scenarios, and identifying key public policy challenges. The trend analysis made it possible to capture the long-term global and European processes shaping Poland’s social, economic, geopolitical, environmental, and spatial context, as well as to understand their implications for the country’s future.

The document concludes with recommendations that support the design of development policies that are resilient, fair, and oriented towards sustainable growth..

How was the NDC 2050 developed?

Work on the NDC was carried out from September 2021 to July 2025 by a consortium comprising the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy, the Institute of Environmental Protection – National Research Institute, and the Institute of Urban and Regional Development as part of the Gospostrateg project. The process employed scenario planning, meta-analysis, Delphi studies, and econometric analyses. A wide range of stakeholders were involved in the work: local authorities, the academic community, business, NGOs, ministries, and citizens (through public hearings, debates, expert panels, and workshops). The document underwent public consultation, and an environmental impact forecast was also conducted. The NDC 2050 was adopted by the Council of Ministers on 25 July 2025.