CoR - Poland Environment

Central

State authorities are responsible for:

The Ministry of Environment is responsible for:

Environment policy;
Environment protection, forestry, reforestation, management of natural resources, including water and mineral resources;
Coordinating other agencies activities;
Enforcing relevant laws;
Evaluating the state of the environment;
Implementation of the tasks ensuing from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,
Adopting the National Environmental Policy after consulting the Marshals (Definition of environmental objectives, priorities and implementing measures).

Monitoring the implementation and enforcement of regulations on environmental protection and the use of natural resources;
Assessing the impact of the adopted environmental protection policies, plans, and programmes;
Monitoring of the state of the environment;
Assessing the environmental effects of policies, plans, and programmes;
Agreeing zoning and land for investment particularly harmful to the environment and human health;
Coordination of enforcement activities with reference to environmental requirements with 16 Voivodship Inspectors of Environmental Protection.

Developing the scientific basis for policies and strategies aimed at sustainable development of urbanised and industrialised areas;
Researching appropriate measures for environmental protection;
Environmental health risk assessment;
Researching environmental pollutants and developing technologies;

The Institute of Environmental Protection (appointed by the Minister of Environment) is responsible for:

Researching environmental protection,
Developing principles and strategies for environmental protection;
Setting of standards;
Environmental monitoring;
Environmental education;
Designing management plans for protected areas and environmental impact assessment of substances, products and installations;
Disseminating information of the state of the environment.

Regional

Regional authorities are responsible for:

Environmental protection;
Adopting regional protection plans for implementing the national guidelines;
Adopting regional waste management plans;
Enacting limitations or bans on the operation of fuel combustion installations.
Implementing aspects of the Water Law including granting ownership of public waters owned by the state treasury, keeping records of water, water management facilities and reclaimed land; and
Regional inspections operating under the State Inspectorate for Environmental Protection.

Counties are responsible for:

Environmental protection and agriculture (including the conduct of the land merging procedures and land exchange, issuing a decision declaring the forest to be protective or depriving it of this character, issuing a decision on conversion of forest to agricultural land, approval of projects of geological operation, decisions within water law);
Adopting county protection plans for implementing the national guidelines;
Alert systems for pollution incidents (gas, chemicals and fire);
establishing quiet areas in and out of the agglomeration;
Providing permissions to emit gas and dust into the atmosphere;
Making decisions concerning the acceptable level of noise.

Local

Local authorities are responsible for:

Responsible ministries/bodies

Ministry of Environment

Regional (voivodship) authorities

County (powiat) authorities

Local (gmina) authorities

Sources:

Act of 27 April 2001 - Environmental Protection Law [Ustawa z 27 kwietnia 2001 r. Prawo ochrony środowiska (Dz. U. z 2008 r. Nr 25, poz. 150, z późn. zm].

Policies Area