While Poland has established some of the most ambitious environmental standards in the world and significant environmental improvements have been noted in the literature, there remains a substantial gap between regulation and implementation. This paper first examines in detail one environmental hot spot in Poland — Katowice Province — to provide evidence that despite significant reductions in air emissions by large firms, pollution levels remain high and of concern. The underlying social, political and economic complexities of the region are then examined to provide a foundation for analysis of the reasons for persistence of the problems. The paper then turns to a case study of three interrelated environmental policies — the Ecological Fund, Fees and Fines ‐to learn more about how environmental policy is implemented in the region. Data include reports, documents, statistical analyses, analyses and in‐depth interviews. Findings indicate some inherent barriers to implementation and suggest some potential solutions.