Law on environmental protection.

This Law regulates: a) the principles of environmental protection; b) protection of environmental components; c) competence in the field of environmental protection; d) information and education on the environment; e) access to environmental information and public participation in the field of environmental protection; f) environmental planning; g) strategic environmental impact assessment; h) establishment of environmental quality standards; i) environmental impact assessment; j) environmental permit; k) prevention of large-scale accidents; l) financing of environmental protection; m) civil liability for environmental damage; n) eco-labelling and environmental management system; o) inter-entity cooperation in the field of environmental protection; p) administrative and inspection supervision and r) misdemeanor provisions. General objectives of this Law are: a) reduced use, prevention of pollution and environmental pollution, prevention of disturbances, as well as improvement and restoration of the damaged environment; b) improvement of environmental conditions, protection of human health, including the right to a healthy life; c) conservation and protection of natural resources, rational use of resources and such a way of doing business which ensures the renewal of resources; d) harmonization of social, economic and other interests of the Federation of BiH with the requirements for environmental protection; e) realization and improvement of international cooperation in environmental protection; f) public animation and public participation in activities aimed at environmental protection; g) coordination of the economy and integration of social and economic development in accordance with the requirements of environmental protection; h) establishment and development of institutions for protection and preservation of the environment. The provisions of this Law apply to: a) all components of the environment (air, water, soil, world of plants, animals and fungi, landscape, built environment); b) all types of activities whose purpose is the use and burdening of natural resources, i.e. the impact on the environment that means the risk of pollution during the activity, or have a negative impact on the environment (such as noise, vibration, radiation, excluding nuclear radiation, waste, light pollution , etc.); c) rights and responsibilities of legal and natural persons performing activities determined by law; d) tasks in the field of environment arising from international conventions. Everyone has the right to a healthy and environmentally sound environment as a fundamental human right and it is a general duty to protect and improve the environment for the benefit of present and future generations. Entities that ensure environmental protection are the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, cantons and local self-government units in accordance with this Law and other regulations.
The text is divided into eighteen main Chapters and a total of 149 articles. Titles of Chapters are as follows: I. General provisions; II. Principles of environmental protection; III. Protection of environmental components; IV. Jurisdiction; V. Environmental information and education; VI. Access to environmental information and public participation; VII. Environmental planning; VIII. Strategic Environmental Assessment; IX. Environmental Impact Assessment; X. Issuance of environmental permits; XI. Major accident prevention; XII. Financing of environmental damages and liability for environmental damages; XIII. Eco-labelling system and environmental management and independent assessment system (EMAS); XIV. Inter-entity cooperation; XV. Environmental monitoring; XVI. Administrative and inspection supervision; XVII. Misdemeanor provisions; XVIII. Transitional and final provisions.