This was the twentieth Local Development Forum seminar. This time, the Association of Polish Cities invited attendants to discuss current works on National Urban Policy updates.

The seminar “National Urban Policy 2030 – the Local Government in the Context of Policy Drafting and Implementing II” was held on 24 June.

Head of the Development Strategy Department at the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy Wiktoria Saganowska reminded meeting participants of the fundamental purpose of works in progress – sustainable transformation of Polish cities and towns into strong and robust organisms ensuring high quality of life to local residents. She further announced that the ministry intends to launch a process of public consultations in the autumn, with a focus on solutions identified within the National Urban Forum framework. The schedule assumes that the new National Urban policy will have been adopted by the first quarter of 2022.

Taking account of key challenges, over 180 experts representing assorted communities have spent the last few months preparing new National Urban Policy solution proposals, the international debate organised by the Urban Policy Observatory at the Institute of Urban and Regional Development. Around one hundred meetings have been held to the purpose of identifying challenges and issues of responsible urbanisation and sustainable development of Polish cities and towns, and proposing specific solutions. The giant effort closed with the drafting of 42 challenges and 121 recommendations.

All challenges and solutions were drafted and grouped around 6 themes:
1. Spatial development
2. Economic development and the labour market
3. Environmental protection and adapting to climate change
4. Urban transport and mobility
5. Residential housing and social policies
6. Public finance and governance

All recommendations can also be viewed by National Urban Policy 2030 objectives:
1. Accessible City
2. Compact City
3. Green City
4. Smart City
5. Productive City

The Institute of Urban and Regional Development invites anyone concerned to comment on aforesaid issues and submit comments on opm@irmir.pl until the end of June.

Through their representatives and by organising meetings such as Local Development Forum seminars, the Association of Polish Cities has been participating in National Urban Policy update works, i.a. by inviting cities and towns to submit opinions, reflections, and postulates. Postulates and comments of the Association of Polish Cities with regard to five objectives identified as part of “Assumptions to National Urban Policy Updates” (Fair City, Productive City, Green City, Smart City, Compact City) were presented during the National Urban Policy seminar. Broader horizontal legal and financial conditions for effective Policy implementation were submitted as well.

It is noteworthy that the series of seminars is delivered as part of the “Local Development” Programme implemented by the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy within the framework of the 3rd edition of Norway and European Economic Area Grants. The Local Development Forum is an open platform introduced by the Association of Polish Cities for purposes of debates with contributions from local governments, the central government, and experts, combined with an integrated activity package designed to promote attitudes and tools supporting sustainable and endogenic local development.