The call for projects to be co-financed with a total of EUR 255m in the sphere of adapting the cities and towns of Eastern Poland to climate change will last from 31 July to 31 October. The projects are aimed to support the “de-concreting” of cities, to make them greener and promote the protection of biodiversity.
“European Funds have been contributing to the improvement of life quality in the cities and towns of Eastern Poland for years. Thanks to the investments being made with the use of the funds, the cities are becoming friendly places to live, work and relax in. Hence, as part of the new European Funds for Eastern Poland Programme until 2029, we are planning to allocate EUR 255m for measures related to adapting cities to climate challenges. Greenery cools down cities, favouring improved air quality, and allowing storm and thaw water retention, which in turn both prevents droughts and facilitates the drainage of water to soil during heavy rainfall. Our wish is to support such nature-based solutions in the investments being planned,” stated Małgorzata Jarosińska-Jedynak, Deputy Minister of Development Funds and Regional Policy.
What projects may count on support?
The Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy has announced that competitions for co-financing are open to integrated undertakings, comprehensively affecting the adaptation of cities to extreme weather conditions (such as flooding, drought); measures related to water retention on site of rainfall or within a local catchment area, using nature-based solutions that will also provide space available to residents, and projects related to water-circulation and urban greenery planning and management.
The competition also includes such projects as, for example, development of parks, rain gardens or flowery meadows, development of connections between green areas in a city, greenery passageways, urban green corridors, municipal artificial lakes and ponds, or the clearing of existing canals or rivers flowing through towns and cities.
Climate change adaptation for medium-sized towns and health resorts
The Ministry has explained that the call is competitive and is addressed to medium-sized towns losing their social and economic functions and sub-regional towns from subregions characterised by the highest accumulation of marginalised communes (20-100 thousand inhabitants).
The group of beneficiaries also includes local governments in areas where health-resort towns or health-resort conservation areas are located. The planned competition budget is PLN 550m. The competition will be held by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management - the Implementing Authority as part of the FEPW programme. Applications may be submitted between 31 July and 31 October 2023.
European Funds for Eastern Poland 2021-2027
The European Fund for Eastern Poland Programme continues the support for eastern Polish regions with a view to accelerating their development. The programme is financed from the European Regional Development Fund. The objectives of the programme include the consolidation of conditions favourable to economic competitiveness and improved quality of life in six Voivodeships in Eastern Poland: Warmińsko-Mazurskie, Podlaskie, Lubelskie, Świętokrzyskie, Podkarpackie and Mazowieckie (excluding Warsaw and adjacent Districts)
As part of the programme, funds will be awarded to projects focused on business, climate change adaptation in cities, development of low-carbon urban mobility, biodiversity protection, development of smart energy distribution networks, enhancement of rail and road accessibility, and the growth of sustainable tourism. The budget of the European Funds for Eastern Poland Programme for 2021-2027 is EUR 2.65bn.
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