The purpose of this Act is to lay down the basic rules and general principles of national policy in the field of environmental protection and development. These rules and principles aim to:

• protect the environment against all forms of pollution and degradation regardless of their origin;
• improving the human environment and living conditions;
• define the basic guidelines for the legislative, technical and financial framework for the protection and management of the environment;
• establish a specific liability regime guaranteeing the reparation of damage caused to the environment and the compensation of victims.

The preservation and protection of biodiversity is dealt with in Chapter III.