ISSN 2029-9370. Regional FoRmation and development StudieS, no. 2 (34) 191 The NecessiTy for The implemeNTaTioN of a Global eNviroNmeNTal policy for The Needs aNd coNdiTioNs aNd local commuNiTies. a comparaTive sTudy Magdalena Sitek 1 , Bronisław sitek 2 Alcide de Gasperi University of Euroregional Economy in Jozefów, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Warsaw (Poland) AbStrAct Dynamic economic development, especially of highly industrialised regions, is a real threat to the local community through the too extensive exploitation of the natural environment. In the feld of environmental protection, a global policy of sustainable develo- pment is applied, of which numerous conventions and international agreements are the evidence. From a regional point of view, however, the policy created by the regional authorities is of greater importance. This claim is also a research hypothesis of this rese- arch. Hence, the subject of this study will be the analysis of environmental protection policies carried out by the authorities of two partner municipalities, Józefów in Poland and bitetto in Italy. the aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of the activities of the local authorities of two partner municipalities in terms of local environmental protection, and to show that environmental policies should take into account in global and national approaches, but they should take their real shape based on local conditions and needs. The result of the work will be the conclusions on the effectiveness of local environmental protection policy. The study will use the method of analysing local environmental protection strategy and statistical data analysis, and an analysis of Polish and Italian law. KEY WOrDS: environmental protection, tasks of local authorities, environmental exploitation. JEL cODES: Q 58. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15181/rfds.v34i2.2255 Introduction Visible climate changes, such as global warming or the melting of Antarctica, and consequently rising sea and ocean levels, sparked a global discussion on the need to protect the natural environment. Numerous acts in international law of a global or regional nature are the result of this discussion. There are usually provisions classifed as soft law, and therefore absolutely not binding on the governments of individual countries. Within the framework of the United Nations, and later the European Union, numerous institutions and organisations have been established to deal with the protection of the environment in a professional and scientifc way. Environmental protection is also one of the main goals of global policy, as well as of highly developed and developing countries. The main research problem is to examine the impact of environmental degradation on the tasks of the regional authorities, especially local government, in terms of stopping local processes leading to the des- truction of the environment. The subject of the research is the analysis of possible actions by regional autho- 1 Magdalena Sitek – dr. hab., rector of Alcide De Gasperi University of Euroregional Economy in Jozefów (Poland) Scientifc interests: law, environmental law, EU law, human rights E-mail: ms@wsge.edu.pl 2 Bronisław Sitek – prof. dr. hab., secretary of the Scientifc Excellence Council, professor at SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Warsaw Scientifc interests: law, Roman law E-mail: bronislaw.sitek@gmail.com