[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/13260\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ECities of tomorrow: young Poles share vision for smarter, greener living\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word \u201ccity\u201d? For most of us, it is crowds, busy roads and noise. But a group of young Poles who spoke with visiting EU officials in Warsaw offered a more upbeat and constructive vision.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn 10 March 2025, they gathered at the prestigious Jasna Centre in the heart of Warsaw, home to the European Commission\u2019s Representation in Poland. They were invited to share their vision for the European\u0026nbsp;cities of tomorrow with\u0026nbsp;the European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, Ekaterina Zaharieva.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the start of the event, they were asked the same question: what does \u201ccity\u201d mean for you? They replied \u201cpossibility\u201d, \u201ccommunity\u201d, \u201cconnection\u201d, \u201chigh-quality education\u201d, \u201copportunities and business\u201d, \u201csociety\u201d and \u201cculture\u201d.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese small sparks of inspiration were enough to ignite a conversation about what European cities should be like and to foster the changes to make them so.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe want to hear from you, the future of Europe, how to shape our policies,\u201d Commissioner Zaharieva said in her welcome speech. \u201cAre we on the right track? Are we achieving what you expect from us?\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe perspectives and ideas shared in the dialogue will help Commissioner Zaharieva develop the right policies, particularly for the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu\/funding\/funding-opportunities\/funding-programmes-and-open-calls\/horizon-europe\/eu-missions-horizon-europe\/climate-neutral-and-smart-cities_en\u0022\u003EEU Mission: Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 an initiative that is helping more than a 100 cities, including five in Poland, achieve climate neutrality.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJakub Roma\u0144ski, 23, a student at the Warsaw University of Technology, felt there were many things the EU is doing right. Health and safety, for example. He believes EU citizens can trust that the quality of their food or tap water is rigorously tested.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMartyna Rawa, a 17-year-old student at the Warsaw School of Economics, mentioned the funding provided for small businesses as another welcome EU initiative.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EPublic transport, accessibility, jobs\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe event was moderated by Julia Kelsz, Tomasz Rac\u0142awski and Miko\u0142aj Samborski. All three are co-founders and leaders of the Important Issues Foundation, which is actively involved in many European youth conferences.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA common theme that emerged in the dialogue with the Commissioner was the need to improve public transport, which would make it easier to get around the city and help mitigate climate change.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMartyna emphasised the need to speed up construction work on transport infrastructure.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe metro, for example, is taking a lot more time to complete than initially expected,\u201d she said. Accelerating the construction work would lead to reduced congestion in the cities and, consequently, reduced pollution.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EWe want to hear from you, the future of Europe, how to shape our policies.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EEkaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother participant with similar views was Dorota Guzik, 27, a project assistant at the Association of Municipalities Polish Network Energie-Cit\u00e9s. It is a non-governmental and non-profit organisation that cooperates with local governments to support efficient, low-carbon energy use and environmental education.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe also highlighted transport. \u201cWe should provide public transport incentives to make more people use it,\u201d she proposed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDorota also stressed the need to make environmentally friendly solutions more affordable so that more people adopt them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother issue that came up was the need to make cities more accessible for people with disabilities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJakub Roma\u0144ski\u2019s girlfriend is visually impaired, so he understands how hard it can be for people with disabilities to get around the city.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNational mobility cards aren\u2019t accepted across Europe. Provisions for people with disabilities should be streamlined across EU countries,\u201d he said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs it happens, the EU is currently working on this, with the introduction of two EU-wide cards: the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for Persons with Disabilities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese cards will ensure that the bearers can access the same services under the same conditions as residents of the host country when attending cultural, sporting and leisure events, or using public transport and parking facilities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EModerator Tomasz Rac\u0142awski, who comes from Jas\u0142o, a small town in southeast Poland, was asked about the challenges facing small towns there and was quick to note the lack of educational opportunities and jobs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe had to move to the bigger cities to find quality universities and quality work. This is true for almost all of my high school friends,\u201d he said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHis foundation educates young people about societal and economic issues and is regularly represented at European youth conferences.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EReimagining tomorrow\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter the group discussions, the young participants came to the Commissioner armed with concrete proposals on how to make cities better, based around three pillars: environment and sustainability; technology and innovation; and inclusivity and accessibility.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn environment, they agreed on the need to improve transport and energy efficiency, reduce pollution and increase green spaces. More specific proposals included making cities more bike-friendly and establishing green corridors around cities to safeguard biodiversity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo future-proof cities against extreme climate conditions, it was suggested that older buildings be retrofitted. More specific solutions included photovoltaic blinds that regulate climate conditions in houses and systems to aid heat diffusion indoors.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EWe should provide public transport incentives to make more people use it.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EDorota Guzik, project assistant, Association of Municipalities Polish Network Energie-Cit\u00e9s\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey also highlighted the need to digitalise city services in one platform and pour more investment into innovation and tech startups. Artificial intelligence could also be used to put in place better safety measures for transport.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFinally, housing and public transport should be cheaper for everyone and made more accessible for people with disabilities through more inclusive urban design.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe ideas exchanged in Warsaw will help to shape action plans that will be implemented through the Cities Mission and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/new-european-bauhaus.europa.eu\/index_en\u0022\u003ENew European Bauhaus\u003C\/a\u003E, a Commission initiative that connects the European Green Deal with living spaces.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EPolish cities fully onboard\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Cities Mission supports 112 EU cities in their commitment to become climate-neutral by 2030 through green, digital and inclusive transformation. Five Polish cities have already embarked on the Mission: \u0141\u00f3dz, Warsaw, Wroc\u0142aw, Krak\u00f3w and Rzesz\u00f3w.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese cities have been making great strides towards net zero via several projects supported by EU funding.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne pilot project involving all five cities, named\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/netzerocities.eu\/polands-pilot-activity-neest-netzero-emission-and-environmentally-sustainable-territories\/\u0022\u003ENEEST\u003C\/a\u003E, focuses on tackling energy-inefficient buildings. Polish cities still mainly depend on the national coal-based power system, but NEEST aims to modernise residential and service buildings and reduce their energy consumption.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother project, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/smartcity-atelier.eu\/\u0022\u003EATELIER\u003C\/a\u003E, centres on generating energy by integrating smart mobility and technologies into buildings in Krak\u00f3w.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKatowice, in a southern Polish region known for coal and heavy industry, is one of the hubs involved in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/climaborough.eu\/\u0022\u003ECLIMABOROUGH\u003C\/a\u003E initiative. It provides 14 cities in 12 European countries with the tools and methodology to achieve their climate goals.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommissioner Zaharieva made it clear she understands the importance of having young people\u2019s views at the table and will consider the opinions of those who will be inheriting the future.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe views of the interviewees don\u2019t necessarily reflect those of the European Commission. 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