Miljøloven

Miljøloven, the Environmental Protection Act, is the central Danish statute for environmental protection. It provides the overarching framework for safeguarding air, water, soil, nature, and the living environment and supports sustainable development by regulating activities that may affect the environment. The act governs pollution control, waste management, chemical substances, noise, and environmental planning, and it aligns Danish rules with European Union directives.

A core feature is the licensing regime: activities with potential significant environmental impact require permits that set conditions for emissions, discharges, and other environmental safeguards. The act also requires environmental impact assessments for selected projects, ensuring due regard to biodiversity, landscape, and long-term effects. It prescribes monitoring, reporting, and compliance mechanisms and establishes penalties for violations. Public participation is provided through information access, public hearings, and opportunities to comment on permit decisions.

Administration is shared between national and local authorities. The Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark, aided by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency (Miljøstyrelsen), drafts rules and handles national supervision, while municipalities enforce permits and local measures within their jurisdictions. The act is applied together with sector-specific laws and EU environmental directives, and its provisions are routinely amended to reflect advances in science and changes in environmental policy.