Tadeusz Pupar

Streszczenie

This article addresses the issue of implementing low emission zones (LEZs) in Poland against the backdrop of European experiences. Its aim is to diagnose the state of implementation, discuss the evolution of legal frameworks, and synthesize domestic contributions in comparison with international research. The analysis is based on a narrative review of literature and normative documents, with the selection limited to works concerning Polish conditions after 2018. Within the European Union context, LEZs remain a relatively new instrument in Poland, and evidence gaps primarily concern the assessment of the effects of restrictions, changes in air quality, and transport behaviors. The analysis of legal frameworks shows that the 2018 Act has been amended multiple times; the key amendment of 2024 linked the obligation to establish LEZs to exceedances of permissible nitrogen dioxide levels in cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants, while maintaining the possibility for municipalities to introduce zones voluntarily. Currently, one LEZ operates in Warsaw (since July 2024), while other large cities are at various stages of the process, from preparation and consultations to legal disputes and temporary suspension of work. The literature review indicates that domestic publications focus on legal conditions and the rationale for intervention, whereas foreign studies more broadly analyze health impacts, environmental effectiveness, emission relocation phenomena, cost-benefit distribution, and social acceptance. Key research gaps have been identified: the need for ex ante and ex post procedures, data triangulation (air quality, traffic intensity, mobility), distributional analyses, and studies on risk communication and acceptance mechanisms. Practical implications include prioritizing monitoring, phasing restrictions, adapting access criteria to local contexts, and linking LEZs with parking policies, public transport development, and active mobility.

Słowa kluczowe: low emission zones (LEZs), air quality, urban mobility, transport policy, legal frameworks, Poland

Tadeusz Pupar [tadeusz.pupar@geo.uni.lodz.pl], University of Lodz, Doctoral School of Social Sciences, Institute of the Built Environment and Spatial Policy

Cytowanie

APA: Pupar, T. (2026). Low emission zones in Poland: a synthetic review of evidence, regulatory frameworks, and implementation experiences. Przegląd Geograficzny, 98(2), 153-178. https://doi.org/10.7163/PrzG.2026.2.2
MLA: Pupar, Tadeusz. "Low emission zones in Poland: a synthetic review of evidence, regulatory frameworks, and implementation experiences". Przegląd Geograficzny, vol. 98, no. 2, 2026, pp. 153-178. https://doi.org/10.7163/PrzG.2026.2.2
Chicago: Pupar, Tadeusz. "Low emission zones in Poland: a synthetic review of evidence, regulatory frameworks, and implementation experiences". Przegląd Geograficzny 98, no. 2 (2026): 153-178. https://doi.org/10.7163/PrzG.2026.2.2
Harvard: Pupar, T. 2026. "Low emission zones in Poland: a synthetic review of evidence, regulatory frameworks, and implementation experiences". Przegląd Geograficzny, vol. 98, no. 2, pp. 153-178. https://doi.org/10.7163/PrzG.2026.2.2