State Duma Adopts Environmental Protection Law

The State Duma, or the lower house of the Russian parliament, has passed the Environmental Protection Law in the final reading. The law outlines the legal basics of state policy in respect of environmental protection that are meant to secure balanced solutions to social and economic tasks and ensure preservation of a clean environment, biological variegation and natural resources. According to the Russian Constitution, "each citizen has a right to a clean environment and must take care of nature and environmental surroundings and preserve natural riches that account for the steady development, life and activity of peoples inhabiting the Russian Federation." The law has been submitted for consideration of the Federation Council, or the parliament's upper house.