1. European Partnership bridging the way
from EU policies to local climate work
- Perspectives from Poland
Karolina Maliszewska - Sendzimir Foundation

2. Sendzimir Foundation
• We are a knowledge brokering organisation.
• We promote local, national and international
initiatives that enhance the quality of life with
respect to natural balance and rational use of natural
resources.
• We attach particular importance to building
sustainable relationships with public institutions,
societies, business and other projects' participants,
that are based on profound partnership in project
implementation.

3. Sendzimir Foundation &
sustainable communities
Summer Academy for sustainability
professionals in Poland (yearly, intensive
course since 1998)  agents of change –
implementing sustainability in local
communities and business.
Ecosystem services for sustainable
development of cities – increasing
awareness of policy makers about the
importance of ecosystem services in
Polish cities; popularizing good practices
of their use for sustainable urban
development.

4. CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. European policy, climate change and
integrated management
3. Challenges in front of European cities –
perspective from Poland
4. Benefits of European Partnership for
integrated management promotion in Poland

5. ’Knowing is not enough;
we must apply.
Willing is not enough;
we must do.’
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

6. INTRODUCTION
Introduction
Integrated management and capacity building
 a way to deal with uncertainty related to climate change
The shifts can be
Natural Integrated
unexpected
systems approach
dynamics (learning
Abrupt changes cycle)
have to be taken
into account
Understanding
of the Continuous
functioning of Predictions based
on models can be capacity
natural systems building
not adequate

7. ’It is widely recognised that the most successful local
authorities use integrated approaches to manage the urban
environment by adopting long-term and strategic action plans’
Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment
Several supporting However:
initiatives:  City governments are free
 European Green Capital to apply integrated
 Covenant of Mayors management, no penalties
for failing to do that
 Leipzig Charter on Sustainable
European Cities  Lack of clear explanation what
is expected under integrated
 Urban dimension in Cohesion approach
Policy
 No common standards

8. EU Climate Policy
 Goals on the national level (3x20) need implementation
on the local level
 Cities (inhabitants) responsible for big part of emissions
 Cities very vulnerable to change
 Cities can be most efficient in implementing the climate
policy goals, for example:
• District heating efficiency (local issue)
• Renewable energy (local issues)
• Local governments can be most effective in dissipation of
energy sources

9. Challenges
– main aspects
• Polish cities – very dynamic changes (since 90’)
• Main challenges (public services):
QUALITY OF LIFE
– Public transportation
– Road infrastructure
– Waste management HUMAN CAPITAL
– Energy and economic security
– Social aid CITY
ATTRACTIVNESS
– Revitalisation of old districts,
post industrial and post-military areas
Source: Raport o Stanie Miast, czesc I, Wspolnota, no 36/990, September 2010

10. Climate policy
context
Lack of common policies related to energy and climate
change in Polish cities:
 Revitalisation
- Low energy efficiency of buildings
- Revitalisation of river banks with no climate change risk consideration
or important ecosystem services
- Growing surface impermeability
 Transport development
Poland urgently needs a shift in attitude
towards climate change mitigation and adaptation
Cohesion Policy - a chance not to be wasted!

11. Challenges
– tools and practices
• Lack of monitoring and sustainability
indicators
• No priority for climate change mitigation and
adaptation
• Lack of participation and democracy deficit
• No long-term perspective and visioning
practices in place
• Poor knowledge and good practice sharing
between the cities

12. Integrated
management in cities
• The sectoral policies are • Decision makers are not
not integrated aware of the benefits of
– Different assumptions IMS
(often no baseline • No educational programs
review), different available in Poland
timescales • ’Crisis’ public budget, need
– Side effects of actions for effectiveness in
taken on other policies spending public money
• No long-term visions and • Not to repeat the mistakes
strategic planning of more developed
countries

13. Sendzimir Foundation
& the European Partnership
Knowledge brokering organisation  take the role of
Change Agents (helping innovations to get adapted)
• When a new idea is Number SUCCESSFUL
of People
introduced, initially the Adopting
adoption is slow. the
Innovation
• “Change Agents” convince
“Early Adopters” to try it,
approve it, use it, etc.
• After reaching 15-20% of a
target group, the
innovation reaches “take- Takeoff
off” and spreads quickly, as
the number of adopters UNSUCCESSFUL
multiplies. Time
AtKisson Group materials; Source: Adapted from Everett Rogers, “Diffusion of Innovations,” 1962, Revised 1995, 2003, Free Press

14. Sendzimir Foundation
& the European Partnership
Integrated Management System
is an innovation that needs to takeoff!
Promoting IMS
 taking into account
5 critical characteristics of a ’good’ innovation
(E. Rogers, Diffusion of Innovations)

15. 5 Critical EUROPEAN PARTNERSHIP
Characteristics for integrated sustainability management
• needs support and recognition on the political level both
Relative regionally and on the European level  stronger benefits
advantage for the cities
• Credibility and power of the network is an advantage
• It is a complex and difficult process, a lot of support needs
to be available to cities
Complexity • Capacity Development Package (CDP) adresses the
complexity
Trialability • CDP has a strong accent on practical applications
• Thanks to the European Partnership the cities can observe
Observability others taking the challange of implementing IMS
• EP a platform to share knowledge and experience
• CDP is compatible with cities management since it was
Compatibility developed with the experience of MUE-25

16. ’Every accomplishment starts with
the decision to try.’
Author Unknown
Thank you
Karolina Maliszewska
Sendzimir Foundation
www.sendzimir.org.pl/en
www.localmanagement.eu