Senate Approves Law on Strengthening Environmental Protection and Natural Resource Management

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — At the 12th plenary session, the Senate of the Oliy Majlis reviewed the law “On Amendments and Additions to Certain Legislative Acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan Aimed at Strengthening the Protection of the Environment, Flora and Fauna, and Ensuring the Rational Use of Natural Resources.”

Senators noted that in recent years, the number of violations in the field of environmental protection has been increasing, due in part to the disproportion between administrative and criminal liability and the public danger and consequences of such violations.

The law amends the Law on Nature Protection, introducing a requirement for legal entities whose activities fall under Category I and II environmental impact to upload data from automatic monitoring stations in real time to a unified geoinformation database of the State Environmental Monitoring System.

Amendments to the Law on Waste establish the obligation for citizens to remove waste improperly discarded or to reimburse the costs of its removal in accordance with the procedures established by law.

The Law on Licensing, Permits, and Notification Procedures now includes a procedure for issuing permits for the transplantation of trees and shrubs that are not part of the state forest fund.

Criminal liability has been tightened for environmental pollution, violation of land and subsoil use conditions, and damage or destruction of agricultural crops, forests, trees, and other plants. Administrative liability is introduced for burying irrigation systems in residential areas and for unauthorized concreting of plots with soil and greenery adjacent to apartment buildings.

Senators emphasized that the law will contribute to the protection of the environment, preservation of biodiversity, creation of a favorable ecological environment for the population, prevention of violations, and effective organization of state environmental oversight.

The law was approved by the Senate.