Law 12 of 2012 - Law of the Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs. Country/Territory Syrian Arab Republic Document type Legislation Date 2012 Source FAO, FAOLEX Subject Environment gen. Keyword Basic legislation Biodiversity Hazards Education Environmental fees/charges EIA Environmental planning Environmental standards Gender Hazardous substances Noise pollution Pollution control Protection of environment Public health Research Sustainable development Radiation Transboundary movement of waste Waste disposal Special fund Standards Subsidy/incentive Policy/planning Geographical area Asia, Mediterranean, Middle East, Near East and North Africa, Western Asia Entry into force notes This Law shall be published in the Official Gazette. Abstract This Law consisting of 26 articles divided into 5 Chapters aims at (i) laying down the basic rules for the safety of the environment, its protection from pollution, and environmental development; (ii) defining the tasks entrusted to the Ministry of Environment in cooperation with the competent authorities to follow up the implementation of its provisions and the provisions of laws and regulations related to environmental affairs. The main tasks of the Ministry as set out in article 3 are the following (i) setting the vision and general policy for the protection of the environment, preparing the necessary national strategy and setting out plans and programs for their implementation and follow-up; (ii) preparing the legislations and regulations that guarantee the preservation of the environment and the methodology for its orientation towards the green economy; (iii) inventory of existing environmental problems and conduct scientific research and studies to address them, limit the environmental deterioration, and endeavor to limit the emergence of any other environmental problems; (iv) monitoring the elements of the environment through laboratories approved by the Council; (v) laying the foundations and necessary procedures for evaluating the environmental impact; (vi) conducting a strategic environmental assessment of the ministries' plans, policies and work programs; (vii) setting environmental regulations and conditions for industrial facilities and other activities that have a harmful effect on the environment; (viii) determining the standards and indicators of the environmentally permissible upper limit of noise; (ix) determining substances harmful or hazardous to the environment, setting the basis for their classification, storage, handling, transportation, destruction and disposal; (x) preparing environmental emergency plans; (xi) monitoring the procedures for treating pollution in the environment; (xii) monitoring and inspecting the activities with environmental impact at the public and private entities; (xiii) preparing the manuals, requirements and instructions necessary for the classification and management of industrial, hazardous and medical waste; (xiv) laying the foundations for establishing national parks, gardens, and ecological streets and their conditions, laying the foundations for establishing all kinds of nature reserves in accordance with international standards; (xv) setting environmental standards and policies to protect the components of plant and animal biodiversity, whether they are aquatic or terrestrial; (xvi) establishing environmental monitoring networks; (xvii) preparing and organizing the environmental data bank; (xviii) supporting associations and civil society organizations working in the field of environmental protection; (xix) develop environmental public awareness through various media. Full text Arabic Website parliament.gov.sy References - Legislation Repeals Legislative Decree No. 11 of 1991 establishing the General Committee for Environmental Affairs. Legislation | Syrian Arab Republic | 1991 Keyword: Institution, Pollution control, Capacity building Source: FAO, FAOLEX Environmental Affairs Law No. 50 of 2002. Legislation | Syrian Arab Republic | 2002 Keyword: Framework law, Classification/declassification, Hazards, EIA, Environmental planning, Environmental standards, Hazardous waste, Inspection, Institution, Liability/compensation, Monitoring, Offences/penalties, Pollution control, Protected area, Research, Special fund, Waste disposal, Waste prevention, Policy/planning, Standards, Protection of environment, Freshwater pollution Source: FAO, FAOLEX