Cities of tomorrow: young Poles share vision for smarter, greener living

European cities of the future should be greener, smarter and more inclusive, according to young Poles who shared their vision during the EU Youth Policy Dialogue in Warsaw.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “city”? 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.

On 10 March 2025, they gathered at the prestigious Jasna Centre in the heart of Warsaw, home to the European Commission’s Representation in Poland. They were invited to share their vision for the European cities of tomorrow with the European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, Ekaterina Zaharieva.

At the start of the event, they were asked the same question: what does “city” mean for you? They replied “possibility”, “community”, “connection”, “high-quality education”, “opportunities and business”, “society” and “culture”.

These 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.

Public transport, accessibility, jobs

• Improving public transport was a common theme, which would help mitigate climate change and make cities more accessible.
• Ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities, with national mobility cards accepted across Europe.
• Making environmentally friendly solutions more affordable and accessible.
• Creating better job opportunities, especially in smaller towns where educational and employment prospects are limited.

Reimagining tomorrow

• Improving transport and energy efficiency, reducing pollution, and increasing green spaces.
• Creating bike-friendly cities and establishing green corridors to protect biodiversity.
• Retrofitting older buildings to prepare cities for extreme climate conditions.
• Digitalising city services on a unified platform and investing in innovation and tech startups.
• Making housing and public transport cheaper and more accessible for people with disabilities through inclusive urban design.

Polish cities fully onboard

The Cities Mission supports 112 EU cities in their commitment to become climate-neutral by 2030 through green, digital and inclusive transformation. Five Polish cities – Łódz, Warsaw, Wrocław, Kraków and Rzeszów – are already part of the Mission, working on projects like:

• NEEST: Modernising residential and service buildings to reduce energy consumption.
• ATELIER: Integrating smart mobility and technologies into buildings in Kraków to generate energy.
• CLIMABOROUGH: Providing tools and methodology to help cities achieve climate goals, especially in coal-dependent regions like Katowice.

Commissioner Zaharieva's commitment

Commissioner Zaharieva acknowledged the importance of listening to the views of young people, who will inherit the future. Their perspectives will help shape action plans under the Cities Mission and the New European Bauhaus initiative.

Photo

European Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva talks to young Poles in Warsaw about their vision for European cities of tomorrow. © European Union, 2025