PL
Key words: environmental protection in Poland and EU, system of funding environmentalprotection in Poland and EU, influence of accession to European Union on environmentalprotection in PolandSummaryEnvironmental protection and rational utilization of natural resources may be analyzedfrom the standpoint of limited resources as well as from the point of viewof various economic endeavors. More often one may come across a statement thatsuch economic conditions should be created which could make rational managementof natural resources possible.Thus there exists a need to draw attention to the limitation of natural resourcesand to the necessity for business entities to make certain choices on macroecomomiclevel. There is a need to choose between different ecological policies which areshaping specified methods of proceeding in the area of protection of environmentand natural resources.International obligations in relation to environmental protection are essentialelements in creating economic and social reality. Accession of Poland to the EuropeanUnion served as a basis for changes in many aspects: legal, political, economicaland social, but first of all, in the aspect of environmental protection.Poland must in a short period of time, with limited financial resources, catchup with countries which for many years had been reaching an adequate level ofprotection.Thus in this elaboration much space has been reserved for, inter alia, the analysisof approach towards environmental protection in Poland and EU. The influenceof European integration process on these problems was also presented. Muchattention was devoted to the characteristics of economic aspects of environmentalprotection. Reference was also made to the financial costs borne to protect the environemnt.The activity of funds for environmental protection, water managementand BOŚ (bank for the protection of environment) in relation to funding such ventureswhich serve environmental protection was analyzed. Against this backgroundalso the system of funding environmental protection policies in EuropeanUnion was discussed.