Redistribution of charges for environmental pollution into pro-environmental investments
Published on 04 February 2021
Poland
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
This good practice refers to public institutions. It concerns the regional redistribution of funds from environmental fees obtained from entities using the environment and investing them in pro-ecological projects. The mechanism for redistributing funds is as follows:
1.Collection of environmental fees - The Marshal's Office of the Lodzkie Region (regional authority) collects environmental fees from entities polluting the environment. This is possible on the basis of the national Environmental Protection Law
2.The next step is to transfer these funds to the National Fund for Environmental Protection (NF)
3.Redistribution - based on environmental analyses and current needs, the NF distributes funds to the regional funds, e.g. to the Regional Fund for Environmental Protection in Lodz (RFL)
4.Allocation of funds - on the basis of analyses of emissions and environmental risks, RFL allocates funds in the region using LCA/LCC or equivalent methodologies to invest in green technologies and installations.
Thanks to the funds from environmental fees, RFL grants subsidies and preferential loans for green investments (SDGs # 6,7,13) in the areas of : air protection (e.g. installation of heat pumps and PV panels, thermal modernization), protection of water resources (modernization of sewage treatment installations), waste management, waste disposal and reclamation, green education projects. Final beneficiaries of this practice are both public and private entities and individuals.
1.Collection of environmental fees - The Marshal's Office of the Lodzkie Region (regional authority) collects environmental fees from entities polluting the environment. This is possible on the basis of the national Environmental Protection Law
2.The next step is to transfer these funds to the National Fund for Environmental Protection (NF)
3.Redistribution - based on environmental analyses and current needs, the NF distributes funds to the regional funds, e.g. to the Regional Fund for Environmental Protection in Lodz (RFL)
4.Allocation of funds - on the basis of analyses of emissions and environmental risks, RFL allocates funds in the region using LCA/LCC or equivalent methodologies to invest in green technologies and installations.
Thanks to the funds from environmental fees, RFL grants subsidies and preferential loans for green investments (SDGs # 6,7,13) in the areas of : air protection (e.g. installation of heat pumps and PV panels, thermal modernization), protection of water resources (modernization of sewage treatment installations), waste management, waste disposal and reclamation, green education projects. Final beneficiaries of this practice are both public and private entities and individuals.
Resources needed
The required resource are funds collected by the Marshal's Office of the Lodzkie Region from environmental fees to redistribute them by the NF and RFL in order to grant preferential loans and subsidies for pro-ecological investments. In 2019, it was approximately €35,5 m.
Evidence of success
The Fund's data for 2019 indicate a significant environmental and material effect achieved by grants and loans granted to final beneficiaries. In total, in 2019, a total of 4,484 contracts for co-financing pro-ecological investments were concluded. Thanks to this, the following were performed:
- Thermomodernisation of 27,800 m2
- PV installations - 2829 kWe
- Reduction of waste stream for disposal by 32,500 tons
- The amount of waste subjected to the biological treatment process 52 tons
- Thermomodernisation of 27,800 m2
- PV installations - 2829 kWe
- Reduction of waste stream for disposal by 32,500 tons
- The amount of waste subjected to the biological treatment process 52 tons
Potential for learning or transfer
This practice supports transforming traditional technologies into pro-environmental investments and minimizes the negative impact of pollution on the ecosystems. The scale of the reinvested funds allows to have a real impact on the improvement of environmental parameters. This GP is of national character and works in all regions in Poland. The described mechanism allows to dedicate funds year to year where the pro-environmental intervention is the most urgent and where it will bring the best results. The region is based on coal energy, and investments in energy efficiency have a direct impact on the reduction of coal mining and indirectly on water resources (post-mine waters). This results in the implementation of modern and effective technologies as well as the use of various analytical tools including the calculations based on LCA related tools as well as the carbon footprint. This practice can work in any region as long as legal and organizational possibilities are created.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
The Regional Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management in Lodz
Poland
Contact
international cooperation