Climate change adaptation and innovation – together or apart? The example of the European Union cohesion policy in Poland

This article is an attempt to contribute to the discussion on the potential of (transformative) innovation for the design and implementation of climate change adaptation solutions and strategies. The aim of this study is to examine how climate change adaptation issues are addressed in the strategic documents of Poland and its regions, and whether and to what extent cohesion policy funds promote the use of innovation in climate change adaptation activities. The author reviews the most important strategic documents at the national and regional level and analyses cohesion policy expenditure (implemented in 2014-2020 and planned for 2021-2027). Based on the analyses carried out, the author concludes that although the level of integration of climate change adaptation issues into development strategies in Poland and its regions is increasing, the innovative potential is hardly being used in this regard, and the concrete actions under the cohesion policy in the areas of climate change adaptation and innovation take separate directions and are only to a limited extent linked.