Urban adaptation to climate change and resident awareness. A Polish perspective

Summary The development of urban areas over the last several decades has significantly contributed to climate change. The modern approach to spatial planning and land management responds to the adaptation of cities to changing climate conditions and the need for a liveable environment. The land use of new green spaces and the upgrading of the existing ones should include adaptation to the present and future climate conditions. Cities can adjust to climate change in many different ways. Over the years, the expansion of urban areas has generated a trend towards higher average temperatures than in rural areas, especially in densely populated urban centres with scarce vegetation where temperatures tend to be higher. City growth is detrimental to the natural environment and water circulation. Insufficient vegetation contributes to high air temperature in cities and urban heat islands. In addition, poor water retention and water infrastructure exacerbate urban droughts and floods. Therefore, efforts should be interdisciplinary and multi-faceted to achieve the best results. Adaptation to climate change faces in Poland multiple and diversified barriers. Hence the question: what is happening at the social level? Are residents of cities conscious of the problem, and do they know how to respond to it? What are the barriers concerning climate change? The paper investigates the public awareness of climate change in Poland. The results demonstrate that there is insufficient awareness of climate change in Polish society and a broad remedial measures are needed.