Law No.754 – XII on nature protection.

The present Law establishes legal, economic and organizational fundamentals for the preservation of conditions of natural environment and rational use of natural resources. It aims at ensuring a balanced harmonic development of relations between the humankind and the nature, protection of ecosystems, natural complexes and separate objects, to guarantee rights of citizens to enjoy a favorable environment. Protective measures from pollution, loss, damage, depletion, destruction and non-rational usage of natural resources shall be applicable to land, subsoil, water resources, wild flora and wild fauna, atmospheric air. Protected natural territories and objects include state reserves, national, historical-natural and memorial parks, wildlife sanctuaries and forest reserves, nature monuments, botanic and zoological gardens, dendro-parks, as well as endangered and protected wild fauna and wild flora species, included in the international Red Book and Red Book of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Special protection measures shall be applicable also to resorts and recreational zones, formation zones of surface and underground waters (river valleys, mudflow evacuation cones, foothills), deposits of rare and valuable metals, maritime belts and water-protection zones (areas) of water objects, protection (buffer) zones of protected natural territories, fishery zones, restricted belts of forests and other zones in the order, defined by the legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan and international treaties. Through decisions of local government other categories of protected natural territories and objects can be envisaged. The present Law establishes the right to a favorable living natural environment and responsibilities on its preservation, sets forth normative regulation of quality of natural environment and management of natural resources, introduces state ecological audit and ecological control and focuses on environmental disasters. The purposes of nature protection shall be as follows: (a) creation of favorable conditions for public health, preservation of ecological balance, rational non-depleting nature use in the interests of effective and sustainable socio-economic development of the Republic; (b) preservation of rare species and genetic pool of the living nature; (c) preservation of the diversity of ecosystems, landscapes and unique natural objects; (d) maintenance of ecological security; and (e) preservation of cultural heritage, related to natural objects. According to the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the land, subsoil, water resources, wild fauna and wild flora, and other natural resources constitute national wealth, and are subject to rational usage and are protected by the state. Conditions, the order of extending, usage and protection of natural resources are determined by the legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan. In the Republic of Uzbekistan, there exist general and special use of natural resources. General use of natural resources is performed by citizens free of charge for the meeting of vital needs without allocation of natural resources to single users and without issuance of special permits. The procedure of special use of natural resources provides enterprises, institutions, organizations and citizens with the possession, use or lease of natural resources based on special permits for payment and with the purpose of performance of industrial and other activities. This Law consists of XI Chapters divided into 53 Articles. Chapter I lays down general provisions. Chapter II establishes competence of state bodies in the field of environmental protection. Chapter III establishes rights and duties of citizens in the field of nature protection. Chapter IV regards regulation of nature management. Chapter V regulates management of natural resources. Chapter VI regards environmental audit. Chapter VII regards environmental control. Chapter VIII establishes economic measures for nature protection. Chapter IX regards emergency situations and natural disasters. Chapter X establishes ecological requirements for economic and other activities. Chapter XI establishes liability for the infringement of environmental legislation and establishes the procedure for dispute settlement. Public administration in the field of ecology, environmental protection, rational use and reproduction of natural resources in the national territory in accordance with laws and other regulatory legal acts is carried out by the Cabinet of Ministers, the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change and local government bodies. The Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change carries out the following functions: (a) public administration in the field of ecology, environmental protection, rational use and reproduction of natural resources; (b) state control over compliance with legislation on waste management; (c) state environmental control over compliance with legislation on the protection and use of land, subsoil, water, forests, protected natural areas, flora and fauna, and air protection; and (d) coordination of work on ecology and environmental protection, ensuring interdepartmental interaction in the development and implementation of a unified environmental and resource-saving policy. Decisions of the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change, adopted within the limits of its authority, are binding on state and economic management bodies, local government bodies, economic entities regardless of their form of ownership and departmental subordination, and citizens.