The Environmental Protection and Conservation Act [CAP 283] is the overarching environmental law of Vanuatu. It provides for the conservation, sustainable development and management of the environment and covers three main areas:
- Administration – Formally establishing the Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation and outlining its roles and responsibilities.
- Environmental Impact Assessment – Providing a process for identifying and managing the impacts of a proposed project on the environment.
- Biodiversity – Recognising Community Conservation Areas and giving direction to communities considering registering their conservation areas at the national level; and providing for bioprospecting (research).
The Act originally started as the Environmental Management and Conservation Act in 2002 but its name was changed in 2011. The law today is made up of the:
- Environmental Management and Conservation Act No. 12 of 2002
- Environmental Management and Conservation (Amendment) in the Statute Law (Miscellaneous) Provisions Act No. 2 of 2010
- Environmental Management and Conservation (Amendment) Act No. 28 of 2010
For a copy of an unofficial consolidated version of the Environmental Protection and Conservation Act [CAP 283] please contact us.