TOOLS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING IN POLAND - HOW EFFECTIVE THEY ARE AND COULD BECOME

The study attempts to examine the current and potential effectiveness of selected tools used in environmental planning of construction projects in Poland. Environmental planning is a complicated and demanding process, and as such it should be supported by the use of environmental management applications. At the early investment planning stage, it is necessary to verify whether a construction project to be developed, in addition to a building permit, does not require a decision on environmental conditions. This decision precedes the issuance of building permits for projects implemented as undertakings with a significant impact on the environment. It should provide the authorities responsible for the procedures and the public with the information on what environmental effects the construction project may have on a local scale. The environmental impact assessments (EIA) database is an IT system used to collect, process and share information on EIA proceedings on a national scale. One of the key functionalities of this system should be to streamline the work of bodies participating in EIAs and to accelerate investment processes. The study focuses on a multidimensional analysis of the effectiveness of environmental management tools from the point of view of main stakeholders in construction projects, and proposes appropriate improvements.