Nature-Based Solutions in Poland against Climate Change

Abstract

One of the currently promoted methods of counteracting climate change is nature-based climate solutions, which harness the power of nature to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable management of ecosystems is a guarantee for sustained human well-being. This underestimated, but extremely efficient and cheap method of integrating nature resources into the urban fabric is an economic “injection” for communal authorities. These “green” benefits should be standard in land-use planning in the era of anthropocentrism. Solutions based on nature were the reason for investigating their perception by Polish municipalities. The survey covered the entire country (all 2477 municipalities) from 20 July to 31 August 2021 through an electronic survey, obtaining 2128 responses (85.9% return rate). In the final result, data were obtained that support the hypotheses posed in the study. The main objective of the research was to check the level of activity of municipalities in Poland in the field of proecological activities using nature-based solutions (NbS). The survey results confirmed little knowledge of nature-based solutions, at the same time giving it an educational dimension. Half of the respondents declared that they learned about NbS only from the survey. Polish decision makers and municipal authorities introduce some solutions based on nature without being aware of their European classification and adequate nomenclature. Environmental awareness in Poland remains largely the domain of urban municipalities, with higher current budget revenues per capita and in the central and western parts of the country. NbS are marginal in rural municipalities, which can be explained by the lack of ecological specialists, less car traffic and more single-family houses and thus modest public areas. The following surveys covering the entire territory of Poland are the first to be carried out on such a large scale.

The Thermal Comfort Problem in Public Space during the Climate Change Era Based on the Case Study of Selected Area in Lublin City in Poland

“…Polish city authorities often introduce natural solutions without knowledge and awareness of their classification and nomenclature. Urban municipalities with a higher budget per inhabitant, and the central and western part of Poland, have a higher environmental awareness [13].…”

The role and potential of flood risk management in shaping land use – Flood-peak polders of the Tisza River from the perspective of integrated planning challenges

“…Several factors that influence polder implementation and management are perceived in knowledge distribution and share amongst stakeholders (Brokking et al, 2021;Chou, 2016;Małecka-Ziembińska and Janicka, 2022). People's knowledge about NbS effectiveness and their awareness of increasing flood risk can influence their general acceptance of NbS (Gray et al, 2017;Han and Kuhlicke, 2021;Martinez-Juarez et al, 2019;Raška et al, 2022).…”