National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan

This is enshrined in the Law “On amendments and additions to certain legislative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan aimed at strengthening the protection of the environment, flora and fauna, as well as ensuring the rational use of natural resources.”

Firstly, amendments and additions have been introduced to relevant articles of the Code of Administrative Responsibility in the area of waste management. Under these changes, fines for violations of environmental protection requirements in the collection, transportation, placement, neutralization, storage, disposal, processing and sale of industrial, construction, household and other types of waste have been increased: for individuals — twofold and for officials — by four to five times.

In addition, a new Article 91(4) has been introduced into the Code, establishing liability for the unlawful collection and removal of recyclable waste from accumulation sites and unsecured (modular) facilities, with fines of up to 1.2 million sums.

Secondly, fines have been increased for violations related to riverbed cleaning and bank reinforcement works, water pollution, breaches of water protection regimes, violations of wastewater discharge conditions, as well as breaches of water use and consumption regulations: for individuals — twofold, and for officials — by four to five times.

Thirdly, liability measures have been strengthened for offences within the forest fund, including damage to hayfields and pastures, unauthorized mowing, destruction or damage of drainage systems and roads, violations of the regime of protected natural areas, destruction of beneficial fauna, as well as breaches of fire safety requirements in forests. In addition, a new Article 77(1) has been introduced into the Code of Administrative Responsibility, providing for maximum fines of up to 41.2 million sums for individuals and up to 82.4 million sums for officials for the unlawful allocation of forest fund lands and construction of buildings and structures on such lands.

Furthermore, a new Article 198(1) has been introduced into the Criminal Code. It establishes that unlawful allocation of forest fund lands or violation of the rules governing their use, committed after the imposition of an administrative penalty for similar acts, shall be punishable by a fine of up to 164.8 million sums, restriction of liberty for a term of two to three years, or imprisonment for up to three years. Unlawful construction of buildings and structures on forest fund lands, committed after the imposition of an administrative penalty, shall be punishable by a fine of up to 206 million sums, restriction of liberty for a term of three to five years, or imprisonment for a term of three to five years.

Additional measures have also been introduced to strengthen liability for damage to and destruction of flora and fauna, air pollution, and other environmental offences.

The law also provides for:
– the introduction of administrative liability for environmental offences recorded through automated photo and video systems;
– fines of up to 123.6 million sums for legal entities for failure to submit, incomplete submission, or submission of inaccurate data to the unified geoinformation database of the state environmental monitoring system;
– fines for unauthorized concreting or installation of structures on adjacent land plots of multi-apartment residential buildings: 4.1 million sums for individuals and 8.2 million sums for officials;
– strengthened liability for pollution of land, water or air resulting in mass illness among the population or the death of animals (fines increased by 2.5 times — up to 206 million sums, as well as an increase in compulsory community service to up to 480 hours);
– tougher penalties for violations of the rules governing the use and protection of land and subsoil resources resulting in serious consequences (fines increased threefold — up to 123.6 million sums, compulsory community service up to 480 hours, and restriction of liberty for up to five years).