Poland needs policies that respond to the current challenges cities are facing. The National Urban Policy 2030 is a government document which is designed to point cities the direction of sustainable development, carry out a sustainable transformation towards strong and resilient agglomerations, and provide residents with friendly living conditions,

Minister Grzegorz Puda said.

As the head of the MDFRP pointed out, the 2030 Agenda, as well as the UN's New Urban Agenda, are important reference points for the implementation of the national urban policy in Poland. The NUP 2030 is the first government document dedicated to urban development issues. Following the recommendations of the UN, the OECD or the European Union, the main goal of the National Urban Policy 2030 is to create such conditions for cities and functional areas to develop in a sustainable manner, offering a high quality of life for residents. Many of the important issues we see in the implementation of national urban policy have a strong connection to the implementation of the Goal 11. These include issues related to the shaping of urban spaces, revitalization, participation or actions to protect the environment. The NUP 2030 broadly incorporates the provisions of the "green" principles of European development policies. Key documents in this regard include the European Green Deal.

Poland's new National Urban Policy is largely devoted to the most important challenges cities and their functional areas have been facing in recent years. Minister Grzegorz Puda stressed that the document contains legal, organizational and financial solutions focusing on problems related to urban sprawl, overcoming the negative effects of climate changes, the housing deficit or urban mobility issues. The NUP 2030 has a servant function to local authorities and communities - it equips local authorities with the tools and capabilities to act causally for the benefit of residents.

The NUP 2030 identifies key challenges facing Polish cities. They focus on a few selected and priority thematic areas. These are: issues of suburbanization and spatial order, cooperation in urban functional areas and strengthening development and investment capacities, quality of the natural environment and adaptation measures addressed to climate changes, urban mobility and security systems and promotion of social activities, with particular attention to housing needs,

Minister Puda noted.

The purpose of the Round Table regarding National Urban Policies was to emphasize the importance of discussion to maximize the potential of policies in cities. Minister Grzegorz Puda discussed details related to the prospects for implementing the provisions of the National Urban Policy document. The implementation of the updated document and actions taken in various zones of the urban fabric will be the best outcome of the Round Table.

The National Urban Policy 2030 is a key signpost on the development map of Polish cities,

Minister Puda noted.

The ministerial Round Table named "The National Urban Policy in a Changing World," hosted by the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy with the support of the European Knowledge Network (EUKN), was attended by UN-Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif and national ministers responsible for urban affairs from the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Slovakia and Poland. Panelists discussed the opportunities offered by national urban policies aimed to strengthen urban resilience by responding to problems and challenges. They discussed the relationship between the NUP and contemporary crises, starting with sustainable transformation and the need to accelerate the European Green Deal, especially in the geopolitical context due to the Russian Federation's invasion on Ukraine and social and economic inequalities in European cities.