PL
For many years, there was a perception that wetlands were a bad thing – wasteland, impractical, waterlogged land that became an obstacle to human activity. This misconception led to the drainage of a vast number of wetlands (in Poland – over 80%, which per unit area translates to over 1 million hectares!), which are crucial not only for local biodiversity but also for counteracting the effects of drought. Due to the rapid decline of wetlands since the beginning of the 20th century, an international agreement – the Ramsar Convention on the Conservation of Wetlands – was signed on February 2, 1971.
Category Archives: Aktualności
Aktualności
Public consultations on the draft update of the drought effects counteracting plan (uDECP)
19
Aug
Aug
Pursuant to Article 183 of the Water Law Act, counteracting the effects of drought is the responsibility of central and local government authorities and Polish Waters.
Counteracting the effects of drought is carried out in accordance with the drought effects counteracting plan (Article 184, paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Water Law Act).
The drought effects counteracting plan was adopted by Regulation of the Minister of Infrastructure dated July 15, 2021 (Journal of Laws of 2021, item 1615).
According to the Water Law Act, this document is subject to update at least every six years. The draft drought effects counteracting plan and its updates, in accordance with Article 185, paragraphs 1, 8, and 9, are prepared by Polish Waters.
Pursuant to Article 39, paragraph 1 of 3 October 2008 on providing information on the environment and its protection, public participation in environmental protection and environmental impact assessments (Journal of Laws of 2026, item 670) The Minister of Infrastructure hereby announces the commencement of public consultations on the draft update of the drought effects counteracting plan (uDECP).
30
Jul
Jul
Many of us associate drought primarily with a prolonged lack of rainfall. We imagine cracked earth, dried-out rivers, and plants wilting from water shortages. However, the reality is much more complex. Soil drought can persist even when we experience almost daily violent storms and accompanying heavy rainfall. For the health of soil and plants, it’s not just the total rainfall that matters, but primarily its nature – its frequency, intensity, and duration.
17
Jul
Jul
The long-awaited summer has arrived – sun, vacations, and high temperatures. After a long winter that surprised us with more snow and lower temperatures than in recent years, we can finally enjoy some fresh air, drink iced lemonade, and put on short sleeves. However, summer isn’t just about sunshine, vacations, and relaxation. It’s also the period when drought becomes more pronounced and noticeable, and can affect not only agriculture and the prices of fruit and vegetables . Drought can also affect our holiday plans.
Aktualności
“Stop Drought! Start Retention!” Is Poland at Risk of Desertification? Experts Will Respond in Gdańsk
30
Jun
Jun
Poland has entered another growing season with a water deficit. Dry, cracked soil and drying rivers are no longer regional anomalies, but a reality across large swaths of the country. The answer to these problems lies in the actions outlined in the currently updated Drought Effects Counteracting Plan. On June 17th – during the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought – a conference will be held in Gdańsk under the slogan “Stop Drought! Start Retention! – Time to Act!”. Experts and practitioners will discuss real and necessary solutions.
29
Jun
Jun
Experts, local government officials, and scientists analyzed mechanisms for combating drought during the conference “Stop Drought! Start Retention! – Time to Action!” held on June 17 in Gdańsk. The discussion focused on the proposed actions in the draft update of the Drought Effects Counteracting Plan (uDECP) for urban areas. Drawing on the experiences of Gdańsk, Łódź, and Poznań, the need for systemic legislative and educational changes was emphasized, as well as the importance of wetland protection and the role of comprehensive blue-green solutions in cities.
29
Jun
Jun
Over 450 experts and practitioners are debating in Gdańsk how to combat drought in the city. The meeting is taking place on the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. The choice of Tricity is not accidental – Gdańsk and Sopot are leaders in implementing blue-green infrastructure. The main topic of the conference “Stop Drought! Start Retention! – time for action!”, organized by Polish Waters, is the solutions proposed in the draft update of the Drought Effects Counteracting Plan.
28
May
May
Both in Poland and around the world, we are increasingly grappling with the problem of a lack of or significantly reduced rainfall. Periods without rain often stretch on for weeks, exacerbating the drought. Until recently, we faced this problem primarily in summer, but in recent years, drought and a lack of rainfall have been making their presence felt as early as in the first weeks of spring. This situation increases the risk of drought, causing the baseline situation at the beginning of the year to worsen year after year. This means that in subsequent years, the problem of low water levels appears earlier and affects an increasingly larger area, and even a single episode of a snowier winter cannot improve the situation (see: https://stopsuszy.pl/roztopy-w-miastach-woda-ze-sniegu/).
25
May
May
On June 17, we invite you to the third Stop Drought! Start Retention! conference, which will take place in Gdańsk. During the event organized by the Polish Waters National Water Holding, we will focus on the practical dimension of drought mitigation. In particular, we will discuss the MEASURES proposed in the draft update of the Drought Effects Mitigation Plan (aPPSS).
29
Apr
Apr
What does environmental education of students look like in practice? What do children know about drought and ways to save water? We visited one of Warsaw’s elementary schools to find out. We invite you to read the article and watch the video on our YouTube channel, which details our meeting at the Primary School with Integrated Departments No. 41 named after the Home Army Soldiers “Krybar” in Warsaw.