Environmental Legislation per Country | Parliamentary Observatory on Climate Change and Just Transition

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Evolution of environmental laws in the region over time

Topics addressed by environmental legislation

Environmental legislation and its impact on economic sectors

List of environmental laws

Honduras

Decreto no. 9-2023 - ley para la protección de las mujeres en contextos de crisis humanitarias, desastres naturales y emergencias.

Legislative area:
Environmental Legislation

Number of the law:
9-2023

Date of enactment:
05/02/2023

Status:
In force

Topic:

Gender & diversity

Disaster management
Honduras

Decreto nº 91-1961 ─ ley constitutiva del servicio autónomo nacional de acueductos y alcantarillados (sanaa).

Legislative area:
Environmental Legislation

Number of the law:
91-1961

Date of enactment:
05/23/1961

Status:
In force

Topic:

Water

Housing and infrastructure
Honduras

Decreto nº 87-1987 - ley de bosques nublados.

Legislative area:
Environmental Legislation

Number of the law:
87-1987

Date of enactment:
08/05/1987

Status:
In force

Topic:

Ecosystems, biodiversity and protected areas
Honduras

Decreto nº 172-1999 - ley de los espacios marítimos de honduras.

Legislative area:
Environmental Legislation

Number of the law:
172-1999

Date of enactment:
12/23/1999

Status:
In force

Topic:

Environmental framework law

Sea, oceans and fishing
Honduras

Decreto nº 396-2005 - créase el parque nacional "nombre de dios", como parte integrante del sistema nacional de areas protegidas de honduras (sinaph).

Legislative area:
Environmental Legislation

Number of the law:
396-2005

Date of enactment:
12/05/2006

Status:
In force

Topic:

Ecosystems, biodiversity and protected areas
Honduras

Decreto nº 158-2009 - ley especial de educación y comunicación ambiental.

Legislative area:
Environmental Legislation

Number of the law:
158-2009

Date of enactment:
11/28/2009

Status:
In force

Topic:

Awareness and environmental education
Honduras

Decreto nº 190-2012 - ley de mecanismos de participación ciudadana.

Legislative area:
Environmental Legislation

Number of the law:
190-2012

Date of enactment:
03/13/2013

Status:
In force

Topic:

Access to information, public participation and justice in environmental matters
Honduras

Decreto nº 26-2016 ─ modifica el decreto nº 107-2011, que declara las aguas territoriales marítimas del país como "santuario de tiburones"

Legislative area:
Environmental Legislation

Number of the law:
26-2016

Date of enactment:
05/30/2016

Status:
In force

Topic:

Sea, oceans and fishing

Ecosystems, biodiversity and protected areas
Honduras

Decreto nº 23-1962 - ley de sanidad vegetal.

Legislative area:
Environmental Legislation

Number of the law:
23-1962

Date of enactment:
02/24/1962

Status:
In force

Topic:

Ecosystems, biodiversity and protected areas

Agriculture, forestry, livestock and food system

Impacted economic sector:

Agriculture, forestry, livestock, fishing and food system
Honduras

Decreto nº 39-1988 - crea comisión nacional de preservación de los bosques, reforestación y protección de las cuencas de los ríos, lagos y lagunas.

Legislative area:
Environmental Legislation

Number of the law:
39-1988

Date of enactment:
01/01/1988

Status:
In force

Topic:

Ecosystems, biodiversity and protected areas

Agriculture, forestry, livestock and food system

Water
Honduras

Decreto nº 5-1999-e ─ crea el subsistema de áreas protegidas de la zona sur de honduras (sapzsurh).

Legislative area:
Environmental Legislation

Number of the law:
5-1999

Date of enactment:
01/20/2000

Status:
In force

Topic:

Ecosystems, biodiversity and protected areas
Honduras

Decreto nº 385-2005 - declara como área natural protegida de uso múltiple la zona conocida como montaña la botija.

Legislative area:
Environmental Legislation

Number of the law:
385-2005

Date of enactment:
04/26/2006

Status:
In force

Topic:

Ecosystems, biodiversity and protected areas
Honduras

Decreto nº 195-2009 - ley sobre actividades nucleares y seguridad radiológica.

Legislative area:
Environmental Legislation

Number of the law:
195-2009

Date of enactment:
11/14/2009

Status:
In force

Topic:

Energy

Impacted economic sector:

Energy
Honduras

Decreto nº 238-2012 — ley general de minería.

Legislative area:
Environmental Legislation

Number of the law:
238-2012

Date of enactment:
04/02/2013

Status:
In force

Topic:

Mining & quarrying

Impacted economic sector:

Mining & quarrying
Honduras

Decreto nº 37-2016 ─ ley de protección a la actividad caficultora y cacaotera.

Legislative area:
Environmental Legislation

Number of the law:
37-2016

Date of enactment:
10/20/2016

Status:
In force

Topic:

Agriculture, forestry, livestock and food system

Impacted economic sector:

Agriculture, forestry, livestock, fishing and food system
Honduras

Decreto ley nº 85-1972 - ley forestal.

Legislative area:
Environmental Legislation

Number of the law:
85-1972

Date of enactment:
03/04/1972

Status:
In force

Topic:

Ecosystems, biodiversity and protected areas

Agriculture, forestry, livestock and food system

Impacted economic sector:

Agriculture, forestry, livestock, fishing and food system
Honduras

Decreto nº 69-1992 - crea el fondo de protección del medio ambiente.

Legislative area:
Environmental Legislation

Number of the law:
69-1992

Date of enactment:
05/25/1992

Status:
In force

Topic:

Environmental framework law

Sustainable finance
Honduras

Decreto nº 12-2000 - ley para el desarrollo rural sostenible.

Legislative area:
Environmental Legislation

Number of the law:
12-2000

Date of enactment:
05/05/2002

Status:
In force

Topic:

Agriculture, forestry, livestock and food system

Impacted economic sector:

Agriculture, forestry, livestock, fishing and food system
Honduras

Decreto nº 46-2007 - ley de protección de la cuenca del lago de yojoa hondulago.

Legislative area:
Environmental Legislation

Number of the law:
46-2007

Date of enactment:
11/21/2007

Status:
In force

Topic:

Ecosystems, biodiversity and protected areas

Water
Honduras

Decreto nº 181-2009 ─ ley general de aguas.

Legislative area:
Environmental Legislation

Number of the law:
181-2009

Date of enactment:
12/14/2009

Status:
In force

Topic:

Water

Environmental framework law

Dissemination resources

News
|
13-11-2025

Latin American and Caribbean Parliamentarians Issue a Global Call for a More Just Climate Future in Historic Legislative Participation at COP30
Document
|
31-01-2024

Framework legislation on climate change in Latin America and the Caribbean. Legislative Bulletin
News
|
02-12-2024

The OPCC launched a Joint Statement at COP29 in Baku, Calling for Global Action Toward Green and Inclusive Productive Development

view all resources

Websites of interest

Congreso Nacional de Honduras

Honduras

Featured

Evolution of environmental laws in the region over time

Topics addressed by environmental legislation

Environmental legislation and its impact on economic sectors

List of environmental laws

Decreto no. 9-2023 - ley para la protección de las mujeres en contextos de crisis humanitarias, desastres naturales y emergencias.

Decreto nº 91-1961 ─ ley constitutiva del servicio autónomo nacional de acueductos y alcantarillados (sanaa).

Decreto nº 87-1987 - ley de bosques nublados.

Decreto nº 172-1999 - ley de los espacios marítimos de honduras.

Decreto nº 396-2005 - créase el parque nacional "nombre de dios", como parte integrante del sistema nacional de areas protegidas de honduras (sinaph).

Decreto nº 158-2009 - ley especial de educación y comunicación ambiental.

Decreto nº 190-2012 - ley de mecanismos de participación ciudadana.

Decreto nº 26-2016 ─ modifica el decreto nº 107-2011, que declara las aguas territoriales marítimas del país como "santuario de tiburones"

Decreto nº 23-1962 - ley de sanidad vegetal.

Decreto nº 39-1988 - crea comisión nacional de preservación de los bosques, reforestación y protección de las cuencas de los ríos, lagos y lagunas.

Decreto nº 5-1999-e ─ crea el subsistema de áreas protegidas de la zona sur de honduras (sapzsurh).

Decreto nº 385-2005 - declara como área natural protegida de uso múltiple la zona conocida como montaña la botija.

Decreto nº 195-2009 - ley sobre actividades nucleares y seguridad radiológica.

Decreto nº 238-2012 — ley general de minería.

Decreto nº 37-2016 ─ ley de protección a la actividad caficultora y cacaotera.

Decreto ley nº 85-1972 - ley forestal.

Decreto nº 69-1992 - crea el fondo de protección del medio ambiente.

Decreto nº 12-2000 - ley para el desarrollo rural sostenible.

Decreto nº 46-2007 - ley de protección de la cuenca del lago de yojoa hondulago.

Decreto nº 181-2009 ─ ley general de aguas.

Dissemination resources

Latin American and Caribbean Parliamentarians Issue a Global Call for a More Just Climate Future in Historic Legislative Participation at COP30

Framework legislation on climate change in Latin America and the Caribbean. Legislative Bulletin

The OPCC launched a Joint Statement at COP29 in Baku, Calling for Global Action Toward Green and Inclusive Productive Development

Websites of interest