Decree-Law No. 26/2012 establishing the Environmental Basic Legislation.

This Decree-Law, consisting of 10 Chapters, establishes the Environmental Basic Legislation. It specifies the policy on environment and wildlife protection, including the basic principles for conservation, preservation and sustainable use of natural resources in order to improve the quality of life of the local populations. This Decree-Law applies for all the National territory, in particular for the land surface, internal waters, territorial sea, airspace, as well as for underground waters and Exclusive Economic Zone. The Decree-Law is divided as follows: General provisions (Chap. I); Competent authorities (Chap. II); Instruments and relationship with other sectors (Chap. III); Protection, conservation and sustainable use of natural resources (Chap. IV); Pollution and management of residues (Chap. V); Financial measures and economic instruments (Chap. VI); Information and environmental education (Chap. VII); Controls, emergency, civil responsibility insurance (Chap. VIII); Responsibility and jurisdictional guarantee (Chap. IX); Final provisions (Chap. X).