Citizens’ perception of smart initiatives implemented in the area of natural environment in voivodeship cities in Poland

The purpose of this article is to identify the perception of inhabitants of provincial capital cities in Poland regarding smart solutions implemented in the area of the environment. The method used in the work was a diagnostic survey conducted on a sample of 1,000 inhabitants of 16 cities. The study results demonstrated that inhabitants had a generally positive attitude towards initiatives undertaken by cities in the area of smart environment, and the actions that received the highest rating were the ones related to creating green areas. There is a statistically significant relationship between the assessment of environmental initiatives and a method of getting around a city, as declared by the respondents. These were rated highest by those using public transport. The respondents declaring higher self-assessment of smart city knowledge rated city environmental initiatives higher than those having poorer awareness. The study has several limitations: it encompassed only inhabitants of provincial capital cities, and its results were based on subjective opinions that may differ from actual smart environment activities. The results also strongly depend on local conditions, such as investments, media and local government’s activity.