Environmental laws at Latvia
Latvia has established a comprehensive legal framework to protect its environment and promote sustainable use of natural resources. Key environmental legislation includes:
1. Law on Environmental Impact Assessment (1998): This law regulates the procedures for assessing the potential environmental impacts of proposed activities and planning documents. Its purpose is to prevent or mitigate negative effects on the environment by evaluating and addressing potential impacts before project implementation.
2. Law on Pollution (2001): This legislation aims to prevent or reduce harm caused to human health, property, or the environment due to pollution. It defines pollution as the direct or indirect introduction of substances, vibrations, heat, or noise into air, water, or land, which may be harmful to health or the environment.
3. Marine Environment Protection and Management Law (2010): This law establishes principles for protecting and managing Latvia's marine environment to achieve and maintain good environmental status. It facilitates the sustainable use of marine resources and integrates environmental protection measures into relevant policies and laws affecting the marine environment.
4. Law on Environmental Protection (Vides aizsardzības likums): This law ensures the preservation and recovery of environmental quality and the sustainable use of natural resources. It outlines the principles of environmental protection, including the "polluter pays" principle, the precautionary principle, and the prevention principle.
5. Law on Protection Zones (Aizsargjoslu likums): This legislation defines environmental and natural resource protection zones around significant environmental objects and territories. It aims to mitigate or eliminate anthropogenic negative impacts on these areas, specifying tasks and types of protection zones, such as coastal, water body, and forest protection zones.
These laws collectively form Latvia's environmental legal framework, focusing on preventing pollution, assessing environmental impacts, protecting marine environments, and ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources.
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