Just transition within reach for Polish coal city Rybnik

In The News 19 Mar 2021

“We are preparing plans for the next decade. Mentality is the hardest thing to change” says Piotr Kuczera, mayor of Rybnik, in an interview with Zielona Interia. The municipality is co-designing, with EIT Climate-KIC and partners, the plans to accelerate the city’s transformation towards climate neutrality.

Rybnik is situated in the heart of Silesia, the largest coal-producing region in the European Union. The city faces the joint challenges of energy transition and enormous air pollution, and many residents understand that transformation is necessary and urgent.

EIT Climate-KIC laid the groundwork for regional transformation in 2019 through Rybnik360, a project that aims to change the city’s industrial sector to mitigate and adapt to climate change. The project’s goal is to design, together with the inhabitants and other actors operating in and around the city space, a green, healthy and inclusive future for the city.

“For 200 years, Rybnik was connected to mining, and social and economic life developed around the mines,” explains Rybnik’s mayor Kuczera in his interview with Zielona Interia. “But we are facing a significant civilisational change, and this must be reflected in the city’s upcoming development strategy. In addition, our plans must be coordinated with what the European Union is planning.”

Answering the journalist’s question about how the plan to transform Rybnik is perceived by the town hall, Kuczera says that the younger generation is particularly eager to see the changes happen in their city.

“Young people know that mining is not the only path for the city; their awareness is very high, which is a positive signal. But mining is still seen as a strategic industry for Poland, and we have to be honest: changing the mentality of citizens is the most difficult challenge we face.”

The first stage of the Rybnik 360 process — where 180 in-depth interviews were held, 2800 arguments mapped, and 93 innovation ideas created — helped identify air quality as a key area for improvement. For Kuczera, addressing this issue is a fundamental part of the city’s development.

He adds: “Mining and the impending change in the city’s economic profile have also been addressed as part of this process. As well as elements that can facilitate the work of city officials.” All of these, he explains, are important lessons that must be considered as part of the preparation of the strategy.

The Rybnik360 project is a part of the Just Transformation Deep Demonstration programme, where EIT Climate-KIC, together with partners from many European countries, facilitates the transition of European regions that still rely on economies that are incompatible with tackling climate change. The programme recognises that people and economies engaged in these sectors are highly vulnerable during the transition to a decarbonised future and it will demonstrate that just transformations are possible.  

Read the full interview (in Polish) with Rybnik’s mayor Piotr Kuczera in Zielona Interia.

 
Location
Poland
Related Goal
Goal 9: Reboot regional economies

Share this article

Related Articles

Three start-ups win Circular Economy ClimAccelerator in Bengaluru EIT Climate-KIC supported start-up Naked Energy powers the UK’s largest solar heat installation Farming for the future: Meet 3 start-up alumni fusing innovation with agriculture
Back to all Articles

Share this article

Articles you may be interested in
In The News
For cities to become climate-resilient, they need to invest in capability buil...

As cities grapple with transforming and adapting to meet...

For cities to become climate-resilient, they need to invest in capability building
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC signs declaration ‘EU Green Deal: from local to global’

All around the globe, cities and regions are driving...

EIT Climate-KIC signs declaration ‘EU Green Deal: from local to global’
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC organises first Festival of Circular Economy and Bioeconomy in...

Running from November 28 to December 2, the activities...

EIT Climate-KIC organises first Festival of Circular Economy and Bioeconomy in Santander
In The News
What does climate action look like for the Culture and Creative Sector Industr...

The Culture and Creative Sector Industries (CCSI) can play...

What does climate action look like for the Culture and Creative Sector Industries?
In The News
Collaboration and knowledge sharing is key to unlocking capital for climate ne...

In order to reach net zero by 2030, or...

Collaboration and knowledge sharing is key to unlocking capital for climate neutrality
In The News
Gipuzkoa shapes the green future with local actors

Gipuzkoa is taking action towards sustainability through collaboration with...

Gipuzkoa shapes the green future with local actors
In The News
How can we enable African climate innovation to thrive?  

Much of the discussion around COP27 this year has...

How can we enable African climate innovation to thrive?  
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC and partners publish recommendations to include systemic lands...

The European Green Deal represents a unique opportunity for...

EIT Climate-KIC and partners publish recommendations to include systemic landscape thinking into EU policies to achieve the Green Deal
In The News
The challenges of building a resilient farmers’ community in Africa

Audrey S-Darko is a researcher and a farmer from...

The challenges of building a resilient farmers’ community in Africa
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC joins business and civil society to call on governments to uph...

As the official COP27 outcomes are being drafted this...

EIT Climate-KIC joins business and civil society to call on governments to uphold commitments to 1.5
In The News
Climate innovation: “The purpose is people, everything else is just the mean...

Massamba Thioye is leading the UN climate change Global...

Climate innovation: “The purpose is people, everything else is just the means”
In The News
Become a European Climate Leader

The Climate-KIC International Foundation is looking for a Supervisory...

Become a European Climate Leader
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC launches open-access database to map start-up ecosystem, now w...

Climate start-ups supported by EIT Climate-KIC are now worth...

EIT Climate-KIC launches open-access database to map start-up ecosystem, now worth €11.8 billion in combined enterprise value
In The News
Slovenia higher education reform aims to create a supportive environment for s...

Slovenia’s ministry of higher education is gearing up for...

Slovenia higher education reform aims to create a supportive environment for students and teachers
In The News
Co-designing the future of coal regions

EIT Climate-KIC launches the Post Coal Future Lab initiative...

Co-designing the future of coal regions
In The News
Bringing in business is key to achieving systems transformation on the climate...

“What does it mean to enable businesses to deal...

Bringing in business is key to achieving systems transformation on the climate crisis
In The News
What will it take to build the New European Bauhaus?

“Beautiful, Sustainable, Together”. These are the values – and...

What will it take to build the New European Bauhaus?
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC selects five partners in Global South to implement gender main...

The intersection of climate and innovation remains a male-dominated...

EIT Climate-KIC selects five partners in Global South to implement gender mainstreaming into entrepreneurship
In The News
Citizens inspire a car-free Leuven

A broad survey, possible solutions displayed on screens, inspirational...

Citizens inspire a car-free Leuven
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC accelerates climate tech solutions for a net-zero Africa 

Climate-focused start-up teams in developing countries face distinct challenges...

EIT Climate-KIC accelerates climate tech solutions for a net-zero Africa 
In The News
New European Bauhaus Hackathons will reward most innovative solutions

EIT Community New European Bauhaus partners will be hosting...

New European Bauhaus Hackathons will reward most innovative solutions
In The News
Slovenia takes a pivotal turn towards circularity

Slovenia has decided to actively combat climate change by...

Slovenia takes a pivotal turn towards circularity
In The News
Innovative climate projects part of EIT Community New European Bauhaus initiat...

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has...

Innovative climate projects part of EIT Community New European Bauhaus initiative
In The News
A new air and climate plan for Milan

The City Council of Milan approved the Air and...

A new air and climate plan for Milan
In The News
Meet the three EIT Climate-KIC innovators nominated for EIT Awards

Three innovators from EIT Climate-KIC’s community have been nominated...

Meet the three EIT Climate-KIC innovators nominated for EIT Awards
In The News
100 European cities take up the challenge to become carbon neutral by 2030

On Monday 13 June, the representatives of the 100...

100 European cities take up the challenge to become carbon neutral by 2030
In The News
The role of cities and regions in transforming wood value chains

Climate smart forest economies It’s a crucial decade for...

The role of cities and regions in transforming wood value chains
In The News
Glasgow City Region pioneering forest economy innovation to drive climate acti...

Scotland’s largest city region is actively tackling climate change...

Glasgow City Region pioneering forest economy innovation to drive climate action
In The News
Forging sustainable timber construction in Europe

EIT Climate-KIC and Built by Nature, announce an initiative...

Forging sustainable timber construction in Europe
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC launches new Circularity Thinking training programme

EIT Climate-KIC is launching Circularity Thinking courses to tackle...

EIT Climate-KIC launches new Circularity Thinking training programme