“Poland in a Healthy Atmosphere” Conference

Ryszard Pagacz

Vice-Marshal of the Malopolska Region

A graduate of the Pedagogical University in Kraków (major: mathematics, physics and technical education), now the University of the National Education Commission. He also completed postgraduate studies at the Malopolska School of Economics in Tarnów (marketing) and at the AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków (management of European Union funds). He further developed his interests through Master of Business Administration (MBA) studies at the National Louis University in Nowy Sącz.

He has extensive experience in both government administration (Voivodeship Office in Tarnów) and local government (District Office in Brzesko). He has also held positions in institutions such as the Agricultural Social Insurance Fund and the Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture.

He served as Chairman of the City Council in Tarnów and as a councillor during the 7th and 8th terms. Between 2020 and 2023, he held the position of Vice-Voivode of the Malopolska Region and temporarily served as Voivode of the Malopolska Region. In 2024, he was elected to the Regional Assembly of the Malopolska Region.

Aneta Willems

European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA)

Director of the Department for Natural Resources, Climate, Sustainable Blue Economy and Clean Energy at CINEA – the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency. She is responsible for the implementation of two key European Union funding programmes: LIFE, which supports actions in the areas of nature and biodiversity protection, circular economy, clean water and air, as well as climate action; and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF).

Since 2022, she has been leading a team in Brussels, supporting the development of a sustainable economy and energy transition in Europe.

Dorota Franczukowska

Senior ESG Manager at PwC Poland. She specializes in sustainability and has been actively promoting environmental and social responsibility as a key element of corporate strategy for many years. She is the creator of the programme “We Support the Climate – Business vs Smog”, which combines environmental education on air quality, climate change mitigation, and water resource protection with the engagement of employees from participating companies.

She believes that change begins with awareness—therefore, she emphasizes education as the foundation of sustainable development.

Barbara Leśniczak

Head of the Educational Anti-Smog Network programme. A political science graduate, she has been actively involved in clean air initiatives for many years. She conducts workshops and training sessions for educators and teachers on air pollution issues and undertakes numerous activities to promote knowledge on clean air protection among both children and adults.

At NASK – National Research Institute, she leads the Educational Anti-Smog Network (ESA)—a digital environmental education programme that has already reached over one million participants. As part of ESA, air quality monitoring and educational activities are carried out in more than 2,300 schools and kindergartens across Poland.

Piotr Siergiej

Activist and, since 2015, spokesperson for Polish Smog Alert. An expert in air pollution issues in Poland, he actively promotes measures aimed at improving air quality across the country.

Piotr Kuczera

Mayor of Rybnik since December 2014, previously a City Councillor from 2006 to 2014, and a history teacher by profession. As the head of the city, he actively works to secure external funding for Rybnik’s development, with a strong focus on improving air quality.

His presidency is defined by efforts to revitalize historical heritage, unify the aesthetics of urban space, implement a coherent cycling policy, increase investor interest in Rybnik, build cooperation with universities and entrepreneurs, and promote technological innovation—particularly hydrogen technologies.

As Chairman of the Silesian Association of Municipalities and Counties and the Association of Municipalities and Counties of the Western Subregion of the Silesian Voivodeship, based in Rybnik, he undertakes initiatives supporting regional development. He represents Rybnik in the Association of Polish Cities. Since January 2025, he has served as a representative of the Silesian Voivodeship in the European Committee of the Regions.

Dariusz Zborowski

Eco-Manager at the City and Municipality Office of Myślenice since 2020. Until 2023, he implemented the LIFE project “Implementation of the Air Quality Plan for the Malopolska Region – Malopolska in a Healthy Atmosphere”. Since 2024, he has been leading the project “Implementation of the Air Quality Plan in the Municipality of Myślenice”. He has over 20 years of experience in sales, consulting, and management.

Magdalena Młochowska

Coordinating Director for Green Warsaw at the City of Warsaw Office. She oversees the Air Protection and Climate Policy Bureau, the Environmental Protection Bureau, the Waste Management Bureau, as well as the Warsaw Greenery Board, City Forests, the Warsaw Zoo, and the Paluch Animal Shelter.

Most of her career has been in local government—working with the Union of Polish Metropolises (2010–2012) and the Ministry of Administration and Digitization (2012–2016), where as Deputy Minister she was responsible for cooperation with local governments, finance, and legal affairs. Since 2016, she has worked at the City of Warsaw Office: initially as Deputy Director in the Decrees Affairs Bureau, from 2019 as Director in the Housing Policy Bureau, and since 2021 as Coordinating Director for Green Warsaw. She is currently responsible for climate policy, air protection, waste management, environmental protection, and green spaces.

She holds an interdisciplinary degree in Environmental Protection (University of Warsaw, 2006), a degree in Spatial Management (University of Warsaw, 2007), and postgraduate studies in Energy-Efficient Construction (Warsaw University of Technology).

Kinga Radoń

Director of the Environment Department at the Marshal Office of the Malopolska Region. Since 2023, she has managed environmental protection at the regional level within the local government sector. Her responsibilities include overseeing the region’s activities related to environmental protection and planning programs, including waste management, noise protection, and air quality.

Previously, she worked with the Regional Water Management Board in Kraków and the Regional Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management in Kraków. She holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering and completed postgraduate MBA studies in General Management at the Krakow School of Business, University of Economics in Kraków.

Paweł Ścigalski

Plenipotentiary of the Mayor of Kraków for Air Quality, Deputy Director of the Environment, Climate and Air Department. He served as a City Councillor in Kraków from 2010 to 2014 and was the founder and Chair of the Ecology and Air Protection Committee.

He co-authored municipal anti-smog resolutions and has supported sustainable transport initiatives based on cycling infrastructure. He collaborates with non-governmental organizations, associations, and institutions promoting clean air. He is a fellow of the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) organized by the U.S. Department of State, focusing on best practices in air quality improvement.

Tomasz Ożóg

First Deputy Mayor of the Skawina. He has been actively involved in environmental protection for many years, with a particular focus on improving air quality. Known for his determination, consistency, and collaboration with residents, social organizations, and public institutions, he has become a leading figure in local pro-environmental policy.

His initiatives extend beyond the municipality—he actively participates in national and regional projects aimed at enhancing air quality and promoting sustainable development. Thanks to his engagement, Skawina has become a model of successful energy and social transformation in small Polish towns.

Stanisław Myjak

Head of the Municipal Social Welfare Centre in Zabierzów. For many years, he has actively supported local energy transition efforts, implementing support programs for residents who choose to permanently replace solid-fuel heating systems with more environmentally friendly heat sources.

Sebastian Górka

Plenipotentiary of the Mayor for Energy and Climate at the Włocławek.

Adam Mandera

Commander of the Municipal Guard in Lyski. Experienced officer in the Chemical Corps and Police. Academic lecturer at the Higher School of Security in Poznań. Vice President of the National Board of the Polish Association of Municipal and Gmina Guards. Consultant and advisor on the creation of inter-municipal guards. Practitioner in preventive and operational activities, particularly in environmental control, with a focus on monitoring heating sources and fuel combustion in central heating boilers.
 

Grzegorz Horwacik

Head of the Climate Department at the City and Municipality Office in Skawina.

Anna Iwaniec

Senior Specialist in the Central Register of Building Emissions (CEEB) Department within the Department of Digital Services at the Main Office of Building Supervision. For over four years, she has actively collaborated with multiple stakeholders of the CEEB system, including chimney sweeps, building and environmental inspectors, local government employees, and ministry representatives. She represents the office at numerous trainings, workshops, and industry events.

Currently, she is working on the development of the CEEB system under the CEEB 2.0 project, applying her expertise to further improve the system. She has been awarded the Bronze Medal for Long Service.

Miłosz Jakubowski

Legal Counsel specializing in administrative law, particularly environmental law. At Frank Bold, he focuses on issues related to conventional energy and climate protection, including air quality. He conducts trainings on air protection law for public institutions and social organizations and is the author and co-author of reports, analyses, and guides on environmental law.

Tomasz Pietrusiak

Deputy Director of the Environment Department at the Marshal Office of the Malopolska Region. He has been actively involved for many years in air quality protection in the Malopolska Region as well as other environmental protection areas. He holds a degree in Environmental Protection from Jagiellonian University and is a member of the Expert Team on Energy Policy at the Association of Polish Voivodeships.

Kamila Gawrońska-Dickson

Regional Coordinator for the Clean Air Fund project at Polish Smog Alert. She develops best anti-smog practices implemented in municipalities and creates new tools to support local governments in air protection. She is a co-founder of the Bydgoszcz Smog Alert and the initiator of numerous projects engaging residents in grassroots anti-smog actions.

Tomasz Pietrusiak

Deputy Director of the Environment Department at the Marshal Office of the Malopolska Region. He has been actively involved for many years in air quality protection in the Malopolska Region as well as other environmental protection areas. He holds a degree in Environmental Protection from Jagiellonian University and is a member of the Expert Team on Energy Policy at the Association of Polish Voivodeships.

Joanna Hołub-Iwan

Managing Partner at ACAI Group and Professor at the Land Forces Academy in Wrocław. She is an expert with over 15 years of experience in designing and conducting social, market, and marketing research. For many years, she has developed research agendas and knowledge-based development strategies.

She collaborates with the Association of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centers Organizers in Poland (SOOiPP) and institutions supporting entrepreneurship development. She is an experienced facilitator of public consultations and expert debates, and the author of numerous strategic projects.

Piotr Kleczkowski

Professor at the AGH University of Science and Technology. An interdisciplinary researcher, he focuses on climate and environmental protection, particularly air pollution and acoustics. He is the author of Smog in Poland – Causes, Effects, Countermeasures, the first comprehensive monograph on the subject in the country, and co-author of the textbook Environmental Protection with Air Quality Analysis in Kraków. He is also a member of the Education Committee of the Audio Engineering Society.

Anna Dworakowska

Co-founder and Coordinator of the Polish Smog Alert movement. She is also a co-founder of the Kraków Smog Alert and the Polish Smog Alert network, which unites over 60 grassroots initiatives across Poland working to improve air quality.

Since 2012, she has been developing air quality improvement policies, including regulatory changes and financial programs supporting the energy transition of residential buildings, particularly reducing coal combustion. She has co-led successful campaigns for clean air in Poland, significantly raising public awareness of air pollution and contributing to the adoption of landmark legislation and financial tools for air protection. Reforms initiated by Polish Smog Alert have led to substantial air quality improvements, with many towns and cities reporting an over 80% reduction in smog days.

In 2023, Polish Smog Alert was a finalist for the Earthshot Prize, established by Prince William, in recognition of the organization’s efforts to improve air quality in Poland.

Paweł Ścigalski

Plenipotentiary of the Mayor of Kraków for Air Quality, Deputy Director of the Environment, Climate and Air Department. He served as a City Councillor in Kraków from 2010 to 2014 and was the founder and Chair of the Ecology and Air Protection Committee.

He co-authored municipal anti-smog resolutions and has supported sustainable transport initiatives based on cycling infrastructure. He collaborates with non-governmental organizations, associations, and institutions promoting clean air. He is a fellow of the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) organized by the U.S. Department of State, focusing on best practices in air quality improvement.

Damian Olma

Deputy Director of the Department of Regional Projects, Marshal Office of the Silesian Voivodeship. He holds degrees from University of Silesia and Silesian University of Technology, completing a Master’s program in Management with a specialization in Project and Innovation Management.

For over 10 years, he has worked at the Marshal Office of the Silesian Voivodeship, specializing in the implementation of projects co-financed with external funds, particularly EU LIFE Program projects. He is the project manager of one of Europe’s largest air quality improvement projects – the integrated LIFE project “Śląskie. Restoring the Blue Sky.”

He contributed to the development of three Air Protection Programs and the anti-smog resolution for the Silesian Voivodeship, as well as Poland’s first regional climate adaptation plan. He has co-organized three editions of the Silesian Climate Convention – CLIMATE-CON and other environmental events.

Andrzej Guła

Co-founder of the Kraków Smog Alert and the Polish Smog Alert. An economist specializing in air protection and energy efficiency, he has been associated for nearly 20 years with the Institute for Environmental Economics, a non-governmental organization working in environmental policy.

He serves as an expert for numerous government and international institutions, including the European Investment Bank, the World Bank, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). He co-created and advised on several government and local programs to improve air quality, including “Malopolska in a Healthy Atmosphere” (a LIFE IP project), as well as the KAWKA and RYŚ programs under the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management.

Janusz Zyśk

Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Energy and Fuels, AGH University of Science and Technology. He has led and managed numerous projects on energy transition in Poland, particularly in the Malopolska and Eastern Greater Poland regions.

His research interests include air quality, low emissions, greenhouse gas emissions, energy systems, pollution transport modeling, local energy and environmental management, and energy transition.

Tomasz Frączkowski

Head of the National Reference and Calibration Laboratory, Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection. He specializes in air quality measurement systems and represents Poland in the European network of National Reference Laboratories for air – AQUILA. He conducts training on measurement techniques and quality management in monitoring networks.

Aneta Willems

European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA)

Director of the Department for Natural Resources, Climate, Sustainable Blue Economy and Clean Energy at CINEA – the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency. She is responsible for the implementation of two key European Union funding programmes: LIFE, which supports actions in the areas of nature and biodiversity protection, circular economy, clean water and air, as well as climate action; and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF).

Since 2022, she has been leading a team in Brussels, supporting the development of a sustainable economy and energy transition in Europe.

Andrzej Muter

Head of the LIFE Department, National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (NFOŚiGW). An NFOŚiGW expert in environmental financing, particularly in nature protection, using both domestic and international funds.

Since 2007, he has been involved in implementing the LIFE Program in Poland. He co-authored the co-financing system for LIFE projects through NFOŚiGW and the structures of the LIFE National Contact Point. He is also a member of the LIFE Committee of the European Commission.

Guido de Wilt

Official at the Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV), European Commission. He is responsible for activities related to the LIFE Program – the EU funding instrument supporting environmental and climate projects.

He has actively supported the implementation of the LIFE IP Małopolska project for many years and is considered the “driving spirit” behind this initiative.

Piotr Łyczko

Deputy Director of the Air Protection and Climate Negotiations Department, Ministry of Climate and Environment. An expert in air quality protection with experience gained in Malopolska, where he co-developed regional air protection programs, anti-smog resolutions, and EU projects in which eco-advisors support residents in replacing inefficient heating sources.

Currently, at the Ministry of Climate and Environment, he is responsible for nationwide initiatives aimed at improving air quality.

Tomasz Stawowy

Manager and Master of Ceremonies, specializing in social communication. He spent nearly 10 years working in local government, co-authoring numerous local initiatives and support instruments in cooperation with non-governmental organizations, sports and recreation development, and public consultation mechanisms.

Currently, he serves as Director of the Culture and Sports Center (CKiS), where he leads #teamCKiS and implements modern solutions in the management of cultural and sports activities in the Skawina municipality.