The objectives of this Act are: (I) to communicate, educate and raise public awareness on the environment and natural resources protection, conservation, management and sustainable use at all levels of society; (II) to provide for and establish integrated systems and environment safeguard system of development control, environmental impact assessment and pollution control; (III) to prevent, control, manage and monitor waste and pollution; (IV) to reduce risks and prevent the degradation of the environment by all practical means, including (i) regulating the discharge of pollutants to the air, water or land; (ii) regulating the import, export, manufacture, use, transport, collection, treatment, storage and disposal of chemicals and wastes; (iii) promoting recycling, re-use, reduction, composting and recovery of materials in an economically viable manner; (iv) protecting, conserving and managing the natural resources threatened by natural and human induced activities, particularly those resources of national and ecological significance as may be classified under the categories of terrestrial vegetation, coral, fish and marine life; (V) to promote and undertake ecosystem approach to protect, conserve, manage sustain and enhance the resilience of the environment; (VI) to comply with and give effect to regional and international conventions and obligations relating to the environment; (VII) to collect, provide, and manage environment data and information for the state of environment report and national report obligations to international conventions relating to the environment; (VIII) to enhance the sustainability, integrity and resilience of the Kiribati environment; (IX) to promote, ensure and support sustainable development; (X) to promote, protect, conserve, manage, and sustainably use of biological diversity and heritage; (XI) to prevent, eradicate, reduce, and manage the impacts of invasive alien species for the protection and conservation of terrestrial and marine biological diversity; and (XII) to enforce and ensure compliance. This Act applies throughout Kiribati islands/land; throughout Kiribati and Kiribati waters; and throughout the exclusive economic zone of Kiribati.
This Act lays down provisions on the administration of the Act; functions and powers of the Minister; performance targets, including pollution control and other environment protection standards or quality, for public authorities; general provisions relating to and powers of the environment inspectors; management of solid waste, litter, residual waste and hazardous wastes having adverse impacts on the environment or human health, and pollution prevention; control over the import of chemical or hazardous materials and substances; protection, conservation, management, and sustainability of biodiversity; transboundary movement, transit and importation of living modified organisms and/or genetically modified organisms and food feed and processing; trading and possession of protected, endangered, threatened, and endemic species; actions affecting protected areas; declaration, designation and establishment of wetlands of International Importance especially waterfowl habitat Ramsar Site; access to biodiversity genetic resources; climate change and carbon footprint schemes; environment data, information, environment spatial planning, and environment scientific research; penalties for the contravention of the provisions of this Act, such as the conditions of an environment license or providing false or misleading information; administration of Strategic Environmental Assessment; application procedures and conditions for an environment license; requirements of the basic and comprehensive environment impact assessment and environment management plan; establishment of a list of protected species, protected areas; improvement plans in compliance with environmental standards; scope and effect of environment protocols; establishment of environment committees of the Environment fund; and public register of applications, licences, etc.
For the purposes of promoting sustainable development, the Minister shall carry out his/her functions by applying the precautionary principle; maintaining and enhancing the health, diversity, and productivity of the environment for the benefit of future generations; conserving biodiversity and ecological integrity; and applying waste management guiding principles, including 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle), polluter pays; extended producers responsibility; and circular economy. The Schedule to this Act lists the environmentally-significant activities.