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).

In her contributions, Ewa Iwaszuk discussed the importance of correctly defining what are – and what are not – nature-based solutions when working with the term. She discussed key characteristics of nature-based solutions (NbS), such as their multifunctionality, adaptive capacity, local appropriateness and the fact that NbS should support biodiversity and build on natural ecosystem properties. Ewa Iwaszuk also described a wide range of governance instruments that cities can design to implement high-quality, resilient, multifunctional NbS, drawing on the wealth of knowledge collected in the Urban Governance Atlas. She used an example of the city of Berlin to illustrate how such governance instruments can work together to address key urban challenges and support sustainable urban development processes.

The Polish Climate Congress assembled 1,280 attendees and included 150 expert speakers over 26 sessions. This international gathering brought together professionals in sustainable development and innovative technologies, officials from central governments and international agencies, city representatives from Poland and globally, embassy officials, business delegates and representatives, NGOs, experts, scientists, and journalists. Ewa Iwaszuk’s panel discussions were part of a thematic track focused on green public investment, centering on best practices for designing urban spaces that integrate blue-green infrastructure as a vital urban asset. Discussions highlighted the opportunity for collaborative efforts between investment and climate departments within local governments, aiming to enhance efficiency and the implementation of nature-based solutions.