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We cordially invite you to read the latest special edition of the MAZOVIA Regional Studies, Special Edition 2025, published entirely in English. It is a review of the most interesting articles from the past year, prepared with an intent to promote the periodical abroad.

In this issue you will find captivating studies on aviation security in the context of national security, health care system functioning, as well as ecology and nature.

We bid you a pleasant reading experience.

In this issue:

The dilemmas of healthcare system functioning under conditions of the civilizational turning pointAviation clusters and state and regional securityGolden algae (“killer algae”) as a threat to Poland’s economy and natureModernisation of the Japanese garden in Silesian Park in Chorzów – case studyReport from 10th Baltic–Adriatic Transport Corridor Forum (19 to 20 October 2023)22nd European Week of Regions and Cities, Brussels 2024

Spatial Science Colloquium 2025, Berlin

A representative of the Mazovian Office of Regional Planning in Warsaw took part in Spatial Science Colloquium 2025, which took place in Berlin on 26–27 June 2025. It is a recurring event organised by Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography (Leibniz-Institut für Länderkunde), a German research centre focusing on regional geography. This year’s edition, titled Excessive change? New departures and old contradictions in socio-ecological transformation, pertained to transformation towards sustainable and climate-neutral development.

The conference brought together representatives from the worlds of science, public administration, planners and social activists. The main speakers were: Dirk Messner, President of the German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt); Anna Lisa Boni, Deputy Mayor of Bologna for EU Funds and Climatic Mission 2030; and Andreas Novy, Professor of Socio-economy at the Vienna University of Economics and Business, co-author of the Second Austrian Assessment Report on Climate Change (AAR2) – a comprehensive scientific paper on climate change in Austria.

The conference focused on the thesis that the current progress of the transformation is unsatisfactory. Attempts were made to identify the barriers behind this. The social dimension of the transformation process was strongly emphasised by analysing social trends and political environment, challenges related to radicalisation of views, populism and disinformation. In this context, the need to change the narrative was emphasised in order to reach communities for whom climate issues are not a priority, but with whom it is possible to build a dialogue rooted in a real context and focused on universal values.Attending the conference was an opportunity to learn about the progress and barriers Europe is facing on the path to the transformation. All speeches shared understanding of the need to take action in the face of climate change, but also agreed that the scale of the challenges had initially been underestimated. The initial assumptions require revision so that they better respond to social needs, taking into account the local context and emotions. These are certainly universal conclusions worth considering in the process of shaping development policy.

Representatives of the Mazovian Office of Regional Planning in Warsaw took part in the annual meeting of the PLUS Change project partners, which this year took place on 13–15 May in Riga. The aim of the event is to integrate the partners and strengthen cooperation between them, assess progress and plan the next actions.

The first day included a workshop to identify the opportunities and benefits of study visits between practice cases. It was pointed out that both host and guests could obtain useful knowledge, experience and contacts from them. The day ended with a visit to the Kaigu peat bog, during which representatives of the peat extraction company discussed the importance of peat bogs in Latvia, peat extraction, the environmental challenges of peat extraction and the prospect of development of the area after the extraction is finished towards the zone of innovation and clean industry.

For the second day, a workshop was planned aimed at broadening partners’ knowledge on the actions of other project participants and sharing thoughts as to their needs and expectations, as a result of which it was decided to put more effort into the dissemination of the project deliverables and their implementation. In the afternoon, a trial simulation was carried out using the backcasting method to define the goal, identify obstacles to it and find solutions to achieve it. This simulation, once suitably tailored, is to be carried out by each practice case among the stakeholders.

On the third day, tools for creating and publishing maps and managing spatial data, which may be used by decision-makers in regional development planning, were presented. The next session included a presentation of the conclusions of a meta-analysis-based sociological study on the change of behavioural pattern. The final session was conducted in the spirit of dissemination and exploitation of project deliverables and identification of synergies with other projects.

More information on the project is available on the below websites.

PLUS Change: https://pluschange.eu/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/plus-change-project?trk=public_profile_experience-item_profile-section-card_subtitle-clickX: https://x.com/PLUSChangeEUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/pluschangeproject/

Representatives of the Mazovian Office of Regional Planning in Warsaw took part in a conference titled ‘Mazovia in numbers – perspectives and challenges’, organised by the Marshal’s Office of the Mazovian Province in Warsaw and Statistical Office in Warsaw on 21 May 2025. The list of participants included representatives of self-governments and public institutions, experts analysing the socio-economic processes of the region, as well as representatives of scientific community. The meeting addressed the current socio-economic processes and challenges, which are standing before the self-governments of the Mazovian Province in a context of global trends.

The conference was opened by Ms. Agnieszka Ajdyn, Director of the Statistical Office in Warsaw and – on behalf of the Marshall of the Mazovian Province – Ms. Elżbieta Kozubek, Ph.D., Director of the Mazovian Office of Regional Planning in Warsaw. Thereafter, Mr. Tomasz Zegar, Deputy Director of the Statistical Office in Warsaw, presented detailed statistical data on the Mazovian Province, including demographic structure, labour market, education, healthcare and the economic situation of the region. Statistical tools and products developed by the Statistical Office in Warsaw, which may support local self-government units in decision-making, were also presented. These included regional reports, databases and interactive dashboards to analyse the socio-economic situation at a local level.

As an introduction to the second part of the meeting, the conclusions of the demographic forecast for the Mazovian Province until 2060 were presented, which showed that nearly two thirds of the communes in Mazovia will experience a decline in their population, presenting local authorities with new challenges in terms of pursuing development policy. Attention was drawn to the problem of population ageing and internal population migrations, which will significantly affect the planning and implementation of development activities in the long term.

One of the items at the event was an expert debate titled ‘How to live well in the conditions of less numerous, older and more dispersed communities’, moderated by Ms. Monika Stanny, Ph.D., Associate Professor of the Institute of Rural and Agricultural Development, Polish Academy of Sciences, with the following panellists: Mr. Wojciech Dziemianowicz, Ph.D., Associate Professor of the University of Warsaw, Ms. Aneta Kowalewska, Ph.D. (Union of Rural Communes of the Republic of Poland) and Mr. Marcin Wajda, Ph.D. (Marshal’s Office of the Mazovian Province in Warsaw).

The discussion focused on the key challenges and needs of self-governments in the context of current demographic processes. The debaters considered whether it is possible to implement effective instruments to counteract the negative effects of the population ageing and depopulation of many communes, assuming that adequate quality of life is maintained despite dwindling human and financial resources. Particular attention was given to the need to give the problem of the demographic crisis a high priority, both in the sphere of public debate and political actions.

The session, prepared by the Mazovian Office of Regional Planning in Warsaw, focused on changes to the settlement network and spatial demographic transformation in the Mazovian Province since 2000. Attention was drawn to the ongoing process of metropolisation, intensifying polarisation between the urbanised Warsaw Capital Region and the less dynamically developing Mazovian Provincial Region. Ms. Elżbieta Kozubek, Ph.D., Director of the Mazovian Office of Regional Planning in Warsaw, presented the conclusions from the analysis titled ‘Categories of spatial changes in the Mazovian Province’, depicting the diversity of the dynamics of socio-economic development in the local arrangement. The classification of the communes was carried out using the entropy index, which enables the assessment of the degree of complexity and heterogeneity of spatial structures and their changes over time.

The analyses and expert discussions presented at the conference ‘Mazovia in numbers – perspectives and challenges’ contributed to better understanding of the challenges standing before the region and indicated the directions of action necessary for its sustainable development. The event showed that an effective response to the demographic challenges requires a long-term, integrated approach, based on cooperation between all levels of public administration and the expert community, while harnessing the potential of public data as a basis for rational development management.

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Ladies and gentlemen,

We cordially invite you to read the issue 52 of the periodical MAZOVIA Regional Studies.

The issue opens up with the article on waste generated in the manufacturing of cosmetic products. The Authors present ways of recovering materials or obtaining energy from non-hazardous waste as well as processes for the disposal of this waste, which contains substances or elements hazardous to humans and animals.

The subject of the subsequent article is the role of the economic account in business activities planning. By way of an example of hemp cultivation, the Author proves that the correct determination of revenue and costs is as important as the identification of the demand and the opportunity to achieve sales targets. The text highlights the advantages of cooperation within clusters and agricultural cooperatives as a way of achieving so-called economies of scale.

The third article, addressing the problem of the interaction between external conditions and the investor’s guidelines and the final design outcome, is a case study described by practising landscape architects. The Authors show how the analysis and synthesis of data obtained at the initial step influence the design process and how factors beyond the designer’s control determine and ultimately shape the solutions adopted for land use.

In comparison with similarly sized cities, the area of the allotments in Radom is very small, which prompted the Author of the next article to consider the possibilities of developing allotment sites in this city. After analysing the conditions arising from spatial, communicational and ownership-related documents, the Author presents a proposal for the location of a new allotment site, defines the conditions for the opportunity to enlarge the existing one and indicates ways to improve the accessibility of the allotment sites for citizens.

A summary of the initial period of operation of the Warsaw-Radom Airport is worth reading. The Author undertakes to explain the reasons for the airport’s poor performance and considers its development prospects. The text becomes particularly meaningful in the context of the ongoing dispute in the public space about the sense of building more airports, including the Central Transport Port.

The issue closes with a report from a study visit to the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona on urban innovation as well as from the DeCoInter Kick Off Meeting, where a project for the energy transition of coastal regions through the use of renewable energy sources and green fuels was presented.

We wish you an enjoyable reading experience.

In the issue, among others:

Waste management. Cosmetic products and their wasteThe role of economic analysis in business activities planning by means of the example of hemp cultivationThe interaction between selected factors influencing the design and its final shape – a case studyConditions and possibilities of development of allotment sites in Radom

On February 17, 2025, representatives of the Mazovian Office of Regional Planning participated in the Mazovian Energy Communities Forum in Warsaw, organized under the patronage of the Marshal of the Mazovian Voivodeship, Mr. Adam Struzik, and the XOOG Energy Clusters P.S.A. energy group. The event gathered representatives of local governments, industry experts, government agencies, and the scientific and business sectors. The meeting focused on energy transition, distributed energy and the challenges local municipal units face to improve energy mix. Among the key priorities of forum was introducing the planned Mazovian Instrument for Supporting Energy Communities.

The forum was opened by the Marshal of the Mazovian Voivodeship, Adam Struzik, the Vice President of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management , Józef Matysiak, and the President of the Bank for Environmental Protection (Bank Ochrony Środowiska S.A.), Bartosz Kublik. The speeches emphasized that meeting the energy transition is a challenge that requires interdisciplinary cooperation at the local level. Due to the current geopolitical issues, European and national climate and energy policies changes, new technological trends, and evolving social attitudes, the role of local energy communities has increased. Marshal Adam Struzik highlighted that energy efficiency measures at the local level is crucial for the energy transition process and one of the goals of the „Development Strategy of the Mazowieckie Voivodship 2030+. Mazovia as on Innovative Region”.

The Marshal’s Plenipotentiary for Investment and Economic Affairs, Mr. Mariusz Rukat, presented the assumptions of the Mazovian Instrument for Supporting Energy Communities . The program aims to support organizational and technological processes related to developing local renewable energy sources, including balancing, producing, and storing electricity at the municipal level in the Mazovian Voivodeship. The Mazovian Voivodeship government allocated PLN 5 million to support initiatives improving energy security, combating energy poverty through energy price stabilization, and sustainable management of natural resources. The funds, provided as grants, will support the development of local energy clusters and energy cooperatives. The instrument will be launched in the second quarter of 2025.

During the forum, the Mazovian Voivodeship Government and the Bank Ochrony Środowiska S.A. announced a strategic partnership to support the energy transition. The agreement will facilitate access to financial resources necessary for implementing pro-ecological solutions in the local energy sector.

The event featured two discussion panels. The key discussion topics included energy security and the transformation of the energy sector. The first panel focused on the organizational challenges and needs of local governments regarding distributed energy. Panelists discussed how energy communities can support decentralized systems to improve local energy security and reduce energy costs. Experts emphasized the urgent need to simplify administrative procedures and support local energy communities and enterprises. Local governments face challenges related to structural constraints (take-up of the electricity by Distribution System Operator). Additionally, expanding specialized knowledge on energy management and trading, particularly in the field of renewable energy sources, is necessary within local government structures. A transparent and stable legislative system supporting investors and energy cluster members was also identified as crucial for effectively implementing projects that promote the development of energy communities.

The second discussion panel addressed legislative, technological, and financial aspects of local energy systems. The primary discussion topic was funding and financing opportunities for renewable energy investments. Panelists highlighted the significant role of biogas, biomethane, and hydrogen technologies in improving energy security. Modern renewable energy-based technologies, electrification, and energy storage solutions were also presented as means to support the transition of local energy systems towards zero-emission solutions. Funding sources were discussed, emphasizing the need for a thorough analysis of local governments’ needs and proper investment planning to prevent projects from being tailored to available funds rather than the real energy needs of the respective communities.

The Mazovian Energy Communities Forum underscored the importance of cross-sector cooperation and the necessity of a stable legislative environment for developing renewable energy sources. Key challenges include optimizing energy cluster and energy cooperatives, measuring energy efficiency, storing energy, and securing funding for local projects. Strengthening the role of local governments and their collaboration with the scientific and industrial sectors can accelerate the energy transition, leading to a more efficient and sustainable energy system in Poland.