Hanna Zdanowska: We are one of the leaders in eco-transition and Łódź is much greener than before

An interview with the Mayor of a Polish city that seeks to reinvent itself

Hanna Zdanowska has been the Mayor of the City of Łódź since 2010. By profession, she’s an environmental engineer, a graduate of the Łódź University of Technology. She also served as a Member of the Polish Parliament (2007 – 2010).

In the 2024 local elections, she was elected for her fourth term as mayor, receiving 60% of the vote in the first round.

Hanna Zdanоwska started the largest Łódź's revitalisation program in Poland. Additionally, she is a member of the Green Deal Going Local Working Group in the CoR. She was nominated National Ambassador of the Covenant of Mayors and as a committed to climate actions and citizens engagement leader, she decided to join the European family of Climate Pact Ambassadors.

The City of Łódź is also a member of ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability. The following interview was conducted in the context and with the help of the recently concluded ICLEI World Congress in Sao Paulo (Brazil). You can find out the main highlights of that event here.

Madame Mayor, in your view, what makes the city of Łódź different and unique in Poland, or even in Europe?

Łódź is a unique city due to its location and rich history. Before World War II, our city was called the 'city of four cultures' because it was built by Poles, Jews, Germans and Russians. These communities were business rivals but often cooperated for the development of the city.

This unique heritage has survived in the fabric of the city, which, unlike most Polish cities, avoided serious damage during the war. Today, the city is known for its beautiful, revitalized post-industrial buildings and its huge investment potential due to its location in the centre of Poland and its large academic community.

Not too far away from Łódź is a Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) intersection that connects the Western and Eastern sides of Europe, as well as the Baltic states with the southern part of the continent.

Łódź is also one of the major academic centres in Poland. The city offers 19 institutions of higher education, 7 public and 12 non-public, and 30 R&D institutions. There are almost 72 thousand people studying at the universities in Łódź, including 5 thousand foreign students, with 20 thousand graduating each year. The Leon Schiller National School of Film, Television and Theatre is one of the oldest and most prestigious film schools in the world. It is the alma mater of many outstanding filmmakers, with graduates including Andrzej Wajda, Roman Polański and Krzysztof Kieślowski.

The slogan “Łódź Kreuje” (Łodź Creates) has become ingrained in the city’s DNA, and it is far more than a mere catchphrase. The creative sector, which includes companies from various industries such as fashion, design, film production (including VR), game dev, and digital marketing agencies, thrives here and sees this place as a hub for their growth plans.

The burgeoning city tourism sector is also a significant contributor to this growth. Thanks to the post-industrial heritage, historic city centre, attractive green areas, and ever-expanding leisure options.

You recently began your fourth term as Mayor of Łódź, congratulations! What policies do you plan to continue from your previous terms and what new initiatives do you plan to implement?

Ecology has been one of my priorities from the very beginning. Today we are one of the leaders in eco-transition and the city is much greener than when I first became mayor. Nearly one-fifth of ​​Łódź is covered by greenery. The oldest park, Źródliska, established in 1840, was recognized as the most beautiful park in Poland in a competition organized by an American gardening company. One of Łódź's parks contains the “Fabrykant” oak, designated a natural monument. The Łagiewnicki Forest, at over 1,200 ha, is the second largest urban forest complex in Europe.

That's not all, in the last 2 years, we have created over 120 hectares of new forest parks. We are determined to allocate further free areas for greenery and limit the sprawl of the city. I hope that it will be possible to create a blue-green network surrounding the entire city.

One of the most important goals is adaptation to climate change, we want to become even more involved in EU climate initiatives and continue the revitalization of the city, which contributes to improving the energy efficiency of buildings and developing low-emission and intelligent transport systems.

Łódź has the privilege of being named one of the 100 Climate-Neutral Cities that will lead the way in forging a path in the sustainable transition of Europe. What programmes and projects have been launched in the city in that regard? What are the preliminary results?

We are the beneficiaries of the first call of proposals for pilot projects. Together with the other Polish members of the Mission - Kraków, Rzeszów, Warsaw, Wrocław and the National Center for Research and Development, we are implementing the NEEST project - "NetZero Emission and Environmentally Sustainable Territories". Our activities will focus on buildings, which are the main source of greenhouse gas emissions in Polish cities.

The aim of the project is to create ready-to-replicate solutions for the thermal modernization of various types of buildings in urban quarters along with the revitalization of the areas around them. We are also nearing completion of the climate contract, which will constitute our roadmap to achieving full climate neutrality, which will allow us to receive a mission label opening the way to stronger expert and financial support.

River restoration is an ecological project that is particularly relevant to Łódź. Why is this important for your city and what does it involve?

Nobel Prize winner Władysław Reymont called our city "The Promised Land" and if it were not for the numerous rivers flowing through the city, it would never have been created, because access to water was necessary for the production of textiles, thanks to which Łódź was the fastest growing city in Europe after Manchester in 19th century.

How many rivers are there in Łódź? Opinions are divided here - some say 18, others say 20. Today, these rivers still flow through underground channels. Some of them can be "looked into" through special openwork hatches. The reconstruction of the river, which had a direct impact on the creation of the “Promised Land” in Łódź, would be an excellent element of strengthening historical awareness and local identity, and at the same time, it is in line with the climate policy objectives of the European Green Deal. The reconstruction of the river may have a positive impact on the urban ecosystem and contribute to the creation of a new unique tourist attraction.

How does river management link to climate resilience and are there good practices that your city can teach other cities in similar situations?

The Lamus River, which currently flows under the surface of Łódź, will be brought to the surface after 100 years. This is the only such project in Europe to receive funding directly from the European Parliament.

The first companies and institutions that have their headquarters near the discovered section of Lamus are now getting involved in the city's activities. The rainwater they collect will go to the riverbed and feed it. A letter of intent regarding this unique eco-cooperation has just been signed. This is an excellent study of the city's cooperation with stakeholders, business involvement and technological know-how for all those who would like to repeat the Lamus effect in their city.