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This article focuses on formation of environmental policy in different periods in Lithuania. The purpose of the article is to analyze main steps of development environmental policy. Some researchers keep opinion that the beginning of environmental policy started in the interwar period. Meanwhile more environmental specialists are following position that in this period had been not founded any specialized environmental institution and the roots of environmental policy cannot be in the interwar years. Actually development of environmental policy started after Second World War in the soviet period when Nature Conservation Act has been adopted and State Nature Protection Committee, and some environmental protection agencies had been founded. The beginning of modern environmental policy started in the beginning of re - establishing of the Independent Republic when Sate Environmental Protection Department has been founded and Environmental Protection Act has been adopted. The adoption of the State Environmental Protection Strategy and the National Environmental Protection Strategy are main current strategic instruments to develop modern environmental policy in Lithuania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the concept of environmental compensation and provides the examples of environmental compensation practices in various European Union countries. The principle of environmental compensation is to avoid, minimize, restore or compensate the damage to the biodiversity due to human activities, however in practice it is almost impossible to achieve no net loss to the biodiversity. European Union has issued Directive that established the principles of environmental compensation already in 2004, however until now the practices of environmental compensation in European Union countries are very fragmented. The implementation of environmental compensation principles in urban development is constrained mainly by factors such as lack of space, and the complexity of environments that are affected. There is a lack of integrated approach towards the strategies how environmental compensation should be implemented in the planning of various projects that have impact upon biodiversity. Furthermore, there is a lack of holistic approach towards the nature in legislation and practices of environmental compensation, as usually focus of instruments is on specific parts of natural environment. Ideally, the principles of environmental compensation should be an integral part of national strategies of sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]