| General Director for Environmental Protection | |
| Native Name: | Generalny Dyrektor Ochrony Środowiska |
| Formed: | October 3, 2008 |
| Jurisdiction: | Poland |
| Headquarters: | Former building of the Directorate General of State Forests |
| Minister1 Name: | Minister of Environment |
| Chief1 Name: | Piotr Otawski |
| Chief1 Position: | General Director for Environmental Protection |
| Parent Department: | Ministry of Environment |
| Website: | Official website |
The General Director for Environmental Protection (Polish: Generalny Dyrektor Ochrony Środowiska) is a central government administration body in Poland responsible for environmental protection and nature conservation, carrying out its tasks with the assistance of the General Directorate for Environmental Protection.
The headquarters of the General Director and most units of the General Directorate for Environmental Protection are located in the former building of the Directorate General of State Forests.
The office was established under the Act of October 3, 2008, on providing information on the environment and its protection, public participation in environmental protection, and environmental impact assessments.[1] It performs tasks specified in Article 127 of this act and is also an authority in the field of nature conservation as per Article 91 of the Act of April 16, 2004, on nature conservation,[2] an authority in the field of environmental protection as per Article 376 of the Act of April 27, 2001 – Environmental Protection Law,[3] and a participant in the national system of eco-management and audit as per the Act of July 15, 2011, on the national system of eco-management and audit (EMAS).[4]
The General Director for Environmental Protection reports to the Minister of Environment.[5] The General Director is appointed by the Prime Minister at the request of the minister after an open and competitive recruitment process. The Prime Minister is also responsible for dismissing the General Director. The position can be held by an individual meeting statutory requirements, including citizenship, education, professional experience, and a clean criminal record for intentional offenses.[6]