Summary:

The paper presents environmental threats occurring in the community of Wieliczka (the Malopolska region) in the context of planning and programming provisions developed for that area. The environmental threats within the community and the town of Wieliczka include natural threats, such as floods and landslides; as well as anthropogenic threats, such as noise, electromagnetic field, air pollution, water contamination, waste and mining damages. The article also analyses existing planning and programming documents, that is the study of conditions and directions of spatial management, local spatial management plan, environment protection plan, waste management plan. Moreover, it presents results of field observations. The analysis concludes that local authorities realize the importance of all issues related to environment protection. The community is managed in accordance with the principles of sustainable development and environmental protection. Planning and programming documents specify how environmental threats should be prevented and taken into consideration in investment projects. As a results, the community limits, sometimes at pace which could be considered too slow, the unfavourable influence of environmental threats within its area.