Ewa Iwaszuk

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Ewa Iwaszuk

MSc (Environment & Sustainable Development)
BA (Economics, Business and East European Studies)

Fellow

Team
Topics

Ewa Iwaszuk works at Ecologic Institute as a Fellow. Her work focuses on nature-based solutions, climate policy and urban governance. Ewa's native language is Polish, she is fluent in English and Czech and speaks conversational Spanish, Russian and German.

At Ecologic Institute Ewa Iwaszuk conducts research combining topics of sustainable urban development, nature-based solutions and climate protection, including within the projects "International Cooperation to Restore and Connect Urban Environments in Latin America and Europe" (INTERLACE) and "Capacity Development for Long-term Climate Neutrality Strategies in Towns and Cities" (Ready4NetZero). She is a lead author of "Addressing Climate Change in Cities – Catalogue of urban nature-based solutions" and a co-author of "Addressing Climate Change in Cities – Policy Instruments to Promote Urban Nature-based Solutions", publications designed to promote implementation of nature-based solutions to address climate change in urban areas. Ewa is also a co-author of "Nature-based Solutions and Global Climate Protection", a publication assessing global mitigation potential of nature-based solutions.

Ewa develops science and policy communication materials such as podcasts. She is a co-host and content lead of "Green Deal – Big Deal?", a podcast that aims to familiarize the public in Europe with the contents, aims and ambitions of the European Green Deal. She also led the development of "Creating Green Cities", a podcast on urban nature-based solutions.

Before arriving at Ecologic Institute, Ewa Iwaszuk worked as a Research Assistant at the Development Planning Unit, University College London (UCL, United Kingdom) and the UCL department for Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy. Before starting her MSc degree, Ewa worked at International Young Naturefriends (IYNF), a pan-European network of youth environmental NGOs.

Ewa Iwaszuk received her Master’s degree at UCL. Her thesis analysed policy development, governance and planning processes that led to Durban (South Africa) having one of the most comprehensive local-level climate mitigation and adaptation strategies in the world. Ewa Iwaszuk holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Business and East European Studies from UCL. During her undergraduate studies Ewa spent a year at the Institute of Economic Studies at Charles University, Prague (Czech Republic).

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Selected projects by Ewa Iwaszuk
ProjectHorizon 2020International Cooperation to Restore and Connect Urban Environments in Latin America and Europe (INTERLACE)
 

Photo: Ewa Iwaszuk

Cities and their peripheries are constantly confronted with challenges such as urban sprawl, climate change and pollution. These processes can exacerbate the degradation of natural ecosystems, and jeopardize ecosystem service provisioning with negative consequences for... Read more

International Cooperation to Restore and Connect Urban Environments in Latin America and Europe (INTERLACE)

Duration
-
Funding
ProjectGreen Deal – Big Deal? Discussing Europe's Green Future
 
Podcast cover

Ecologic Institute

Ursula von der Leyen (President of the European Commission) described the European Green Deal as "Europe's man-on-the-moon moment". With this plan, the European Union aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, protect and enhance nature, and sustainably transform the... Read more

Green Deal – Big Deal? Discussing Europe's Green Future

Duration
-
Funding
ProjectCapacity Development for Long-term Climate Neutrality Strategies in Towns and Cities (Ready4NetZero)
 

© Sandra Naumann

Ready4NetZero aims to support small- and medium-sized cities in Poland, Romania, Hungary and Croatia in the development and implementation of local strategies to reach climate neutrality. To do so, the project creates knowledge resources (written guidance) and provides... Read more

Capacity Development for Long-term Climate Neutrality Strategies in Towns and Cities (Ready4NetZero)

Duration
-
Funding
ProjectClimate Mitigation Through Nature-Based-Solutions in Urban Poland - Fostering Awareness and Capacity (ClimateNBS Polska)
 
| Fotolia.com © kalafoto
Many Polish cities are undergoing intense development, which is placing investment pressure on undeveloped land. Individual sites would be able to deliver on urban climate change mitigation and reduce GHG emissions, with the resulting social, economic and environmental... Read more

Climate Mitigation Through Nature-Based-Solutions in Urban Poland - Fostering Awareness and Capacity (ClimateNBS Polska)

Duration
-
Funding
ProjectHorizon 2020Nature Based Urban Innovation (NATURVATION)
 
| Fotolia © kalafoto
Nature is important for the urban environment: trees grant shade during the summer months, while parks and lakes function as areas for relaxation, as places where the urban population comes together, and as space where children can experience nature and learn about it... Read more

Nature Based Urban Innovation (NATURVATION)

Duration
-
Funding
ProjectDialogue on Pathways and Policies for a Climate-neutral EU (Climate Recon 2050)
 

© Ecologic Institute

The EU has agreed to become climate neutral by 2050. Achieving climate neutrality in the next 30 years is a great societal, economic and political undertaking, presenting many challenges and opportunities. The Climate Recon 2050 project addresses the central process of... Read more

Dialogue on Pathways and Policies for a Climate-neutral EU (Climate Recon 2050)

Duration
-
Funding
Selected publications by Ewa Iwaszuk
PublicationBookAddressing Climate Change in Cities – Catalogue of urban nature-based solutions
 
Nature-based solutions (NBS) are solutions that are inspired and supported by nature. They can be used in urban settings to complement or replace "traditional" or "grey" solutions to perform functions, such as thermal insulation and stormwater retention and filtration.... Read more

English version: Iwaszuk, E., Rudik, G., Duin, L., Mederake, L., Davis, M., Naumann, S., Wagner, I., 2019: Addressing Climate Change in Cities. Catalogue of Urban Nature-Based Solutions. Ecologic Institute, the Sendzimir Foundation: Berlin, Krakow.

Polish version: Iwaszuk, E., Rudik, G., Duin, L., Mederake, L., Davis, M., Naumann, S., Wagner, I., 2019: Błękitno-zielona
infrastruktura dla łagodzenia zmian klimatu w miastach. Katalog techniczny. Ecologic Institute, Fundacja Sendzimira: Berlin, Krakow.

PublicationReportAddressing Climate Change in Cities – Policy Instruments to Promote Urban Nature-based Solutions
 
Publication's cover

© Ecologic Institute & the Sendzimir Foundation Berlin – Kraków 2020

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are solutions that are inspired and supported by nature. They can be used in urban settings to complement or replace "traditional" or "grey" solutions to social and environmental challenges, such as air pollution, the heat island effect,... Read more

Naumann, S., Davis, M., Iwaszuk, E., Freundt, M., Mederake, L., 2020: Addressing climate change in cities – Policy instruments to promote urban nature-based solutions. Ecologic Institute, the Sendzimir Foundation: Berlin, Krakow.

Naumann, S., Davis, M., Iwaszuk, E., Freundt, M., Mederake, L., 2020: Błękitno-zielona infrastruktura dla łagodzenia zmian klimatu w miastach. Narzędzia strategiczne. Ecologic Institute, Fundacja Sendzimira: Berlin, Krakow.

PublicationReportNature-based Solutions and Global Climate Protection
 
Cover of publication

© UBA

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are playing an increasingly prominent part in discussions of global climate change mitigation. This study, for the German Environment Agency (UBA), has critically examined the potential impact of NBS. The results show that the potential of... Read more
Judith Reise, Anne Siemons, Hannes Böttcher, Anke Herold, Cristina Urrutia, Lambert Schneider, Ewa Iwaszuk, Hugh McDonald, Ana Frelih-Larsen, Laurens Duin, McKenna Davis 2022: Nature-Based Solutions and Global Climate Protection. Assessment of their global mitigation potential and recommendations for international climate policy. Climate Change 01/2022. German Environment Agency, Dessau-Roßlau.

Green Deal – Big Deal podcast

PublicationPodcastFrom Packaging to Microplastics: Unwrapping EU plastics policies
 
Ecologic Institute

Ecologic Institute

Since we learned how to produce plastic, humans have manufactured more than 8.3 billion tons of it – most of which ended up as waste somewhere on the planet. This leads plastic waste to enter the landscape, rivers, beaches, and eventually ocean. We asked our listeners... Read more

Ecologic Institute 2022: From packaging to microplastics: unwrapping EU plastics policies. Podcast. 17 October 2022. Online: https://greendealbigdeal.podigee.io/6-plastic

PublicationPodcastEuropean Green Deal – What is Europe trying to achieve and where are we now?
 

© Ecologic Institute

The European Green Deal is the European Union's fundamental response to the challenges of the 21st century. From addressing climate change and nature degradation to creating conditions for sustainable and inclusive economic growth, the plan aims to revolutionise the way... Read more

Ecologic Institute 2022: European Green Deal – what is Europe trying to achieve and where are we now?. Green Deal – Big Deal?. Podcast. 7 April 2022. Online: https://greendealbigdeal.podigee.io/

PublicationPodcastIt's Electric! The future of mobility in Europe.
 

© Ecologic Institute

To achieve the EU's goals, we need to rethink mobility from the ground up. This involves many aspects, including electric mobility, walking, cycling and public transport. The second episode of the "Green Deal – Big Deal?" podcast examines the challenges and issues that... Read more

Ecologic Institute 2022: It's Electric! The future of mobility in Europe. Green Deal – Big Deal?. Podcast. 9 May 2022. Online: https://greendealbigdeal.podigee.io

PublicationPodcastSustainability in Style: Circular fashion in the European Green Deal
 
Episode Cover

Ecologic Institute

For some, fashion is an expression of personality or culture. For others, clothes are something that ensures comfort or survival. One thing is certain: clothing is something that everyone, everywhere, deals with every day. However, its production has an enormous... Read more

Ecologic Institute 2022: Sustainability in style: circular fashion in the European Green Deal . Podcast. 9 June 2022. Online: https://greendealbigdeal.podigee.io

PublicationPodcastThe European Green Deal Symphony: Conducting the net-zero transition
 

© Ecologic Institute

The journey to net-zero emissions requires thousands of different policy interventions at all sorts of different times and across all sectors. Similarly, an orchestra is made up of many different instruments – all of which have to play the same tune at the right time!... Read more

Ecologic Institute 2023: The European Green Deal symphony: conducting the net-zero transition. Podcast. Online: https://www.greendealbigdeal.eu/podcast/episode-8/

PublicationPodcastFarm to Fork: Feeding a continent without wrecking a planet
 

© Ecologic Institute

Food production is a sector completely dependent on healthy environment and predictable climatic conditions. At the same time, modern agriculture is among the major contributors to climate and biodiversity crises. From food production to consumption, Europe is facing a... Read more

Ecologic Institute 2022: Farm to Fork: feeding a continent without wrecking a planet . Podcast. 2 August 2022. Online: https://greendealbigdeal.podigee.io

PublicationPodcastFifty Shades of Green: Sustainable finance and the EU taxonomy
 

© Ecologic Institute

How do we classify which investments are the right ones to power the transition to a climate and nature-friendly economy? This is a pretty big question, and one that is crucial to a successful implementation of the European Green Deal. The EU taxonomy – the subject of... Read more

Ecologic Institute 2022: Fifty shades of green: sustainable finance and the EU taxonomy. Podcast. Online: https://greendealbigdeal.podigee.io/7-sustainable-finance

Creating Green Cities podcast

PublicationPodcastValuing Nature: Can Money Really Grow on Trees?
 

© Naturvation

Hans Pijls, founder of the "Food for Good" urban farm in Utrecht, believes his project generates different types of value for the city, such as improving the economic value of surrounding buildings, boosting employment, and generating positive effects for health, well... Read more

Ecologic Institute, 2020: Valuing nature: can money really grow on trees?. 10 August 2020. Online: https://creating-green-cities.podigee.io/4-valuing-nature

PublicationPodcastInnovating with Nature, People and Places
 

© Naturvation

The city of Barcelona is reinventing the work soil; a social entrepreneur in Utrecht is trying to challenge the way the government cooperates with local green initiatives; and a housing company in Malmo is redefining neighbourhood design for the 21st century. All these... Read more

Ecologic Institute, 2020: Innovating with Nature, People and Places. 24 August 2020. Online: https://creating-green-cities.podigee.io/5-innovating-with-nature-people-and-places

PublicationPodcastAll Hands on Deck: Governing Urban Green
 

© Naturvation

The city of Barcelona has an entire strategy dedicated to taking care of its trees, called the Tree Masterplan. To create this Masterplan, the city talked to over 700 different people – from gardeners to urban planners and from restaurant owners to street cleaners – to... Read more

Ecologic Institute 2020: All Hands on Deck: Governing Urban Green. Creating Green Cities. Podcast. 27 July 2020. Online: https://creating-green-cities.podigee.io/3-governing-urban-green

PublicationPodcastUrban Trees and Gardens: How Good Are They Really for You?
 

© Naturvation

Living in a neighborhood with lots of trees will make you live longer… or will it? Urban nature is said to bring diverse health, social, economic and environmental benefits to cities and their populations. Understanding the scale of and access to these benefits is... Read more

Ecologic Institute 2020: Urban Trees and Gardens: How Good Are They Really for You?. Creating Green Cities. Podcast. 13 July 2020. Online: https://creating-green-cities.podigee.io/2-urban-trees-and-gardens

PublicationPodcast Bringing Nature Back into Cities
 

© Naturvation

Green roofs make buildings cool. Literally. As cities deal with the impacts of climate change, green roofs can offer solutions and help with rainwater management, insulation and cooling, amongst other benefits. No matter the weather, installing a green roof also... Read more

Ecologic Institute 2020: Bringing Nature Back into Cities. Creating Green Cities. Podcast. 25. June 2020. Online: https://creating-green-cities.podigee.io/1-bringing-nature-back-into-cities

Selected presentations by Ewa Iwaszuk
PresentationLectureAddressing Climate Change in Cities: Integrated concepts and strategies for local development
 
first presentation slide "Przeciwdziałanie zmianom klimatu w mieście: zintegrowane koncepcje i strategie rozwoju lokalnego"

© Ecologic Institute

On 15 January 2023 Ewa Iwaszuk gave a lecture titled "Addressing climate change in cities: integrated concepts and strategies for local development" to the students of Intercollegiate Academy of Climate (Międzyuczelniana Akademia Klimatu), a post-graduate diploma course... Read more

Lecture:Addressing Climate Change in Cities: Integrated concepts and strategies for local development

Date
Location
online
PresentationSpeechPolicy Instruments to Promote Implementation of Nature-based Solutions
 
screenshot of the presentation

© IUCN

Ewa Iwaszuk, a Fellow at Ecologic Institute, held a presentation "Policy instruments to promote implementation of nature-based solutions" at a side-event "Nature-based solutions for building performance" during the global climate conference COP27 in Sharm-el-Sheikh ... Read more

Speech:Policy Instruments to Promote Implementation of Nature-based Solutions

Date
Location
hybrid, Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt
PresentationInterviewGreen Cities for the Heat
 

© WDR 2022

Concrete and asphalt make cities up to 10 degrees hotter than the rural areas. In Poland, however, there is a persistent impression that greenspace is a nuisance that is best gotten rid of, says Ewa Iwaszuk of the Ecologic Institute in Berlin. She points out that the... Read more

Interview:Green Cities for the Heat

Date
Location
WDR1 COSMO po polsku, Germany
PresentationSpeechGood Practices from Germany as an Inspiration for Polish Local-governments
 

Photo: Ewa Iwaszuk

With around 75% of EU population living in urban areas, cites will play a key role in curbing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing vulnerability to impacts of climate change and building resilience. Multifunctional nature-based solutions can be a powerful tool to jointly... Read more

Speech:Good Practices from Germany as an Inspiration for Polish Local-governments

Date
Location
online

Recent content by Ewa Iwaszuk

Event:Conference
 
The Conference "Reimagining Urban Spaces: Nature-Based Solutions for Inclusive Transformations in Europe and Latin America," took place in Granollers, Spain on 2 and 3 October 2024. This two-day event brought together nearly 100 experts, policymakers, and city representatives to share insights and achievements from the four-year INTERLACE project led by Ecologic Institute.

Reimagining Urban Spaces

Nature-Based Solutions for Inclusive Transformations in Europe and Latin America

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Granollers, Spain

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Presentation:Interview
 
A graphic in Polish with the title "Zielona Synergia w Samorządach" (Green Synergy in Local Governments) related to the "Forum Zrównoważonych Inwestycji Samorządowych" (Forum for Sustainable Municipal Investments). The top left features the logo of the "Polski Kongres Klimatyczny" (Polish Climate Congress). The background is a blue tone, showing a stylized image of trees, emphasizing themes of environment and sustainability.
The podcast "Polski Kongres Klimatyczny 2024" features highlights from the discussion that took place at the Polish Climate Congress in March 2024. In the podcast, Ewa Iwaszuk, Fellow at Ecologic Institute, discusses the importance of "green synergy" in municipal cooperation and emphasizes the role of nature-based solutions (NbS) in the development of sustainable cities. Ewa Iwaszuk highlighted how the work of Ecologic Institute and its partners supports cities to effectively integrate these approaches into their infrastructure projects in order to tackle climate change and improve quality of life.

Green Synergies in Municipalities: Applying nature-based solutions in cities


Ewa Iwaszuk

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Presentation:Speech
 
At the occasion of the 16th NESS – Nordic Environmental Social Science Conference in Turku (Finland), from 4 to 6 June 2024, Ecologic Institute's Doris Knoblauch presented the findings of two projects in a workshop dealing with "Governing urban climate transformations: Towards climate neutrality and resilience".

Navigating Urban Climate Transformations: Unravelling the Mechanisms of Successful Long-term Climate Neutrality Strategies in Cities

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Doris Knoblauch

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Publication:Report
 
Cover of the guidance "Developing ambitious local long-term climate neutrality strategies', part of the Ready4NetZero initiative. The graphic depicts a stylized green landscape transitioning from rural areas with wind turbines and solar panels to an urban setting with green buildings. A car emits a green cloud, symbolizing eco-friendly transportation. The lower part of the poster includes logos of supporting organizations like Energie Cities, Eco Logic, and EnergiaKlub.
The guidance document "Developing ambitious local long-term climate neutrality strategies", developed as part of the Ready4NetZero project serves as a comprehensive roadmap for administrative staff in small- and medium-sized municipalities as they navigate the complexities of becoming climate neutral. It is structured to facilitate a clear understanding of the necessary cross-cutting measures for developing effective local long-term climate strategies, including realizing a long-term vision, establishing baselines, fostering participation, planning action, financing, monitoring, evaluation, and ensuring a just transition. 

Developing Ambitious Local Long-term Climate Neutrality Strategies

Charting the course: crafting forward-thinking local climate neutrality strategies

Year

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Publication:Infographic
 
Informative poster titled 'Planning for Net Zero' with colorful illustrations depicting five key elements for effective long-term climate neutrality strategies.
This poster conveys key content from the Ready4NetZero publication "Developing ambitious local long-term climate neutrality strategies". It presents five key elements for effective local long-term climate neutrality strategies.

Planning for Net Zero

Key Elements in Shaping Effective Local Long-term Climate Neutrality Strategies

Year

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Event:Conference
 
Promotional graphic for a skills session at The Nature of Cities Festival 2024 titled "Developing policies that work for nature and for people." The session is in-person in Berlin on 4 June 2024 at 16:00, featuring Natalia Burgos, McKenna Davis, and Ewa Iwaszuk.
The Nature of Cities Festival 2024 was an extraordinary three-week hybrid event that brought together almost 400 researchers, artists, activists, and enthusiasts from around the world to celebrate the importance and beauty of urban nature. As a proud event partner, the Ecologic Institute's nature-based solutions (NbS) team led two sessions during the in-person week of the festival, taking place in Berlin, Germany from 3 to 7 June 2024.

The Nature of Cities Festival 2024

Ecologic's Spotlight: Greening Urban Futures

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virtual and Berlin, Germany

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Presentation:Panel discussion
 
As part of the Polish Climate Congress from 19 to 20 March 2024 in Warsaw, Ewa Iwaszuk, a Fellow at Ecologic Institute, took part in a panel discussion on implementing nature-based solutions in urban areas. She was joined on the panel by Joanna Kiernicka-Allavena (Climate-KIC), Anna Banaszczyk (World Bank), Marcin Sadura (Warsaw Municipal Sewage Company) and Robert Skowroński (Szczecin Marshal’s Office). The discussion was moderated by Mateusz Kowali (Polish Green Network).

Green Synergies in Local Governments


Ewa Iwaszuk

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Publication:Podcast
 
In this episode of "Green Deal – Big Deal?", we tackle the complex world of natural resources, a topic that underpins many aspects of Europe's ambition for a green future. In conversation with guests Florika Fink-Hooijer, Director-General of European Commission’s DG Environment, and Janez Potočnik, Co-chair of the International Resources Panel, hosts Ewa Iwaszuk and Aaron Best discuss how the use of natural resources is closely linked to the climate and biodiversity crises, highlighting the global nature of resource use and its impacts.

Material World: Using resources sustainably in a time of planetary crises

Fourteenth episode of the podcast "Green Deal – Big Deal?"

Year

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