1. Environmental protection institutions in Poland Lawmaking and law Environmental policy Environmental protection institutions Non –governmental organizations

2. Nature protection law is laid down by the Parliament and the Senate. Minister of Environment executes the law and issues the regulation regarded to conservation and environmental protection. Some of the regulations, for example of establishing a national park, are issued by the Council of Ministers. Who deals with environmental protection in Poland?

3. Acts of Environmental Protection in Poland The obligation to protect the natural environment is governed by the Act of Environmental Protection on 27 th April, 2001 (Dz.U. Nr 62 poz. 627 z późniejszymi zmianami).

4. Acts of Environmental Protection in Poland The obligation to protect the natural environment is governed by Natural Protection Law on 16 th April 2004

5. Acts of Environmental Protection in Poland The obligation to protect the natural environment is governed by Protection and Development of Environment on 31 st January,1980.

6. Ministry of Environment In the Ministry of Environment the person who is responsible for the conservation of nature is the Under- Secretary of State, Chief Nature Conservator. In voivodeships, the pertinent authority is represented by the Provincial Governor (Voivode), who represents the government and the state administration in the province (voivodship). The Provincial Nature Conservator deals with the matters regarded to the nature protection at the area of a particular voivodeship.

7. Chief Nature Conservator directly supervises the implementation of tasks resulting from: the Environmental Protection Act Environmental Law Act of GMO ( 22 nd June, 2001) Chief Nature Conservator coordinates the process of organizing and functioning the net of Nature 2000 areas.

8. Advisory Institutions the State Council for Nature Conservation consisting of outstanding scientists and specialist in nature protection the provincial boards for nature conservation at the voivodeship level. at the lowest level - gimna (commune) - the decisions concerning nature conservation and environmental protection are made by the departments of environmental protection of the city councils and the commune offices. All these decisions are performed by mayors or town/city presidents.

9. The State Council for Nature Conservation is a consultative and advisory body responsible for natural protection that works directly at the Minister of Environment. It expresses their own opinion regarded to the natural protection matters and send the conclusions to the particular institutions. The State Council consists of 40 members,who are chosen by the Minister of Environment for five year period.

10. Advisory body At municipal or commune offices there are departments that deal with the matters of nature conservation and environmental.

11. Non –governmental organizations Apart from the state institutions dealing with natural protection, there are non – governmental organizations which also take action on environmental protection. They are not on a state budget.

12. General Board for Environmental Protection A new institution founded in 2008 to manage the Natura 2000 areas, takes environmental decision related to building motorways and controling the influence of new investments on the natural environment.

13. Polish Non – Governmental Organizations http://www.lop.pl/ Natural Protection League ( LOP) http://www.klubgaja.pl/ Gaja Club http://www.polskiklubekologiczny.org/ Polish Ecological Club

14. Organisations and institutions connected with natural protection Ministry of Environment Chief Inspectorate for Natural Protection National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management Ecofund Natural Protection Bank