The impact of public participation on sustainable urban development in Poland

Sustainable urban development is a key challenge for modern societies, mainly due to dynamic social, economic, and environmental changes. These challenges can negatively impact residents' quality of life, emphasising the need for increased stakeholder involvement in implementing sustainable development principles. This article aims to identify factors that promote higher levels of public participation. Surveys conducted in 33 Polish cities were used to develop the Index of Local Level Participation (ILLP). Cities for the study were selected based on their presence in six sustainability-related rankings. The survey was conducted using the CAWI technique and purposive sampling. The ILLP included two variables: voter turnout (%) in City Council elections and the percentage of stakeholder groups involved in the city strategy process. The analysis revealed that ILLP values are influenced by city size and location within specific macro-regions. Larger cities and agglomerations exhibit higher levels of stakeholder involvement than medium-sized cities, suggesting a correlation between socio-economic development and public participation. Additionally, being in a highly developed region fosters greater citizen engagement. Cities with low participation levels should focus on improving quality of life and raising awareness about the importance of participation in sustainable urban transformation.