Ekonomia w polskiej ochronie środowiska
Economics in environmental protection in Poland

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the paper is to assess to what extent textbook prescriptions for environmental policy have been implemented in Poland after 1989. To this end a review of environmental economics was carried out and confronted with actual policies as reflected in official government documents. In particular, it was noted that Pigouvian taxes – considered “classical” policy instruments until the 1980s – were implemented virtually nowhere in the world. It is thus no surprise that the new Polish environmental policy did not make a fundamental use of them either. Alternative instruments deployed proved to be effective, since the disruption of the environment was reverted despite the resumption of a fairly high rate of economic growth (so-called decoupling). In spite of the success of environmental policies, not all recommendations of economic theory have been implemented. The list of pending issues includes the quantification of policy tasks, a rational division of responsibilities between state administration and economic agents, and – above all – adopting cost-effectiveness criteria as guiding rules at all levels of environmental administration.

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