Kraków strengthens its climate policy

The approval of the document means that the goals, methodology, and planned actions presented by Kraków have been positively evaluated in terms of compliance with European standards for climate and energy planning. It also confirms that the city is fulfilling its commitments resulting from participation in one of the largest European local government initiatives aimed at combating climate change.

SECAP is a strategic document that defines the directions of the city’s actions in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving energy efficiency, developing renewable energy sources, and adapting to climate change. The document also includes measures to increase the city’s resilience to extreme weather events and to combat energy poverty.

Kraków joined the Covenant of Mayors in 2022, committing to ambitious climate goals aligned with European Union policy. The plan approved by the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy sets a path for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and in subsequent decades, supporting the city’s ambition to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

The Covenant of Mayors currently brings together more than 10,000 European cities and municipalities that voluntarily commit to achieving climate and energy goals. One of the key tools for implementing these commitments is the SECAP – the Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan.

The document includes measures such as:

• energy retrofitting of buildings
• development of low-emission transport
• increasing the share of renewable energy sources
• expansion of green spaces
• improving stormwater management

An important element of the plan is also strengthening the resilience of urban infrastructure to the effects of heatwaves, heavy rainfall, and other weather phenomena linked to climate change.

The approval of the SECAP by the structures of the Covenant of Mayors is not only formal in nature. It also enhances the city’s credibility when applying for European and national funding dedicated to energy transition and climate investments. Increasingly, having an up-to-date and approved climate plan is a prerequisite for accessing funding programs for environmental and energy projects.

For Kraków, this is another step toward building a city that is more resilient to climate change, energy-efficient, and friendly to its residents. At the same time, the approval of the document by the Covenant of Mayors confirms that the local climate policy aligns with the long-term climate transformation strategy of the European Union.

The full SECAP document is available in the Public Information Bulletin of the City of Kraków.