Ley General del Equilibrio Ecológico y la Protección al Ambiente
The Ley General del Equilibrio Ecológico y la Protección al Ambiente (LGEEPA, General Law of Ecological Balance and Environmental Protection) is Mexico’s foundational environmental legislation. Enacted in 1988, it established the framework for environmental policy, including the prevention and control of pollution, the protection of ecosystems, and environmental impact assessment. The law created the National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change (INECC) and establishes environmental standards (Normas Oficiales Mexicanas, NOMs) as binding regulatory instruments.
Legal area: Environmental law regulates human activities affecting the environment, including resource protection, pollution, and conservation.
Year enacted: 1988
Full text: https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/htm/ley_general_equilibrio_ecologico.htm
Key Provisions
- Art. 2: Principles of environmental protection (precaución, prevención, polluter pays)
- Art. 8-15: Environmental impact assessment (evaluación de impacto ambiental)
- Art. 16-25: Prevention and control of pollution (prevención y control de la contaminación)
- Art. 43-52: Protection of ecosystems and biodiversity
- Art. 53-60: Environmental standards (Normas Oficiales Mexicanas)
- Art. 61-68: Environmental liability and sanctions (responsabilidad ambiental)
- Art. 69-75: Environmental education and public participation
Significance
The LGEEPA is the cornerstone of Mexico’s environmental regulatory framework, providing the basis for environmental impact assessment, pollution control, and ecosystem protection. The law’s normas oficiales mexicanas (NOMs) are binding technical standards that regulate emissions, discharges, and environmental quality. Mexico’s environmental framework has evolved significantly under this law, addressing issues from air quality in the Mexico City metropolitan area to the protection of biodiversity in tropical ecosystems.