第二條 本法所稱環境，係指影響人類生存與發展之各種天然資源及經過人為影響之自然因素總稱，包括陽光、空氣、水、土壤、陸地、礦產、森林、野生生物、景觀及遊憩、社會經濟、文化、人文史蹟、自然遺蹟及自然生態系統等。
Article 2 Environment as referred to in this Act means collectively all types of natural resources that influence human survival and development and the human impact of natural factors, including sunlight, air, water, soil, earth, minerals, forests, wildlife, scenery, recreation, social economy, culture, historical monuments, natural monuments, natural ecological systems, etc.
永續發展係指做到滿足當代需求，同時不損及後代滿足其需要之發展。
Sustainable development means satisfying contemporary needs without sacrificing the ability of future generations to satisfy their needs.
但經濟、科技及社會發展對環境有嚴重不良影響或有危害之虞者，應環境保護優先。
However, in the event that economic, technological or social development has a seriously negative impact on the environment or there is concern of endangering the environment, the protection of the environment shall prevail.
第四條 國民、事業及各級政府應共負環境保護之義務與責任。
Article 4 Citizens, enterprises and government entities at all levels shall jointly share the duties and responsibilities of protecting the environment.
環境污染者、破壞者應對其所造成之環境危害或環境風險負責。
Those who pollute or destroy the environment shall be responsible for the environmental harm or risk they create.
前項污染者、破壞者不存在或無法確知時，應由政府負責。
The government shall bear responsibility in the event that those who pollute or destroy the environment in the foregoing paragraph do not exist or cannot be confirmed.
第五條 國民應秉持環境保護理念，減輕因日常生活造成之環境負荷。
Article 5 Citizens shall uphold environmental protection concepts and lessen the environmental impact of daily life.
國民應主動進行環境保護，並負有協助政府實施環境保護相關措施之責任。
Citizens shall actively carry out environmental protection and be responsible for assisting the government in implementing measures related to environmental protection.
第六條 事業進行活動時，應自規劃階段納入環境保護理念，以生命週期為基礎，促進清潔生產，預防及減少污染，節約資源，回收利用再生資源及其他有益於減低環境負荷之原（材）料及勞務，以達永續發展之目的。
Article 6 Enterprises shall plan for the phasing in of environmental protection concepts when carrying out their activities.
Based on product lifecycles, enterprises shall promote clean production, prevent and reduce pollution, conserve resources and recycle and use recycled resources and other raw (or processed) materials or services that help lessen environmental impact with the purpose of achieving sustainable development.
事業應有協助政府實施環境保護相關措施之責任。
Enterprises shall be responsible for assisting the government in implementing measures related to environmental protection.
第七條 中央政府應制（訂）定環境保護相關法規，策定國家環境保護計畫，建立永續發展指標，並推動實施之。
Article 7 The central competent authority shall draft environmental protection laws and regulations, draw up national environmental protection plans, establish sustainable development indicators and promote and implement such laws and regulations, plans and indicators.
地方政府得視轄區內自然及社會條件之需要，依據前項法規及國家環境保護計畫，訂定自治法規及環境保護計畫，並推動實施之。
Local governments, in view of the needs of natural and social conditions within the local jurisdiction, may draft autonomous laws and regulations and environmental protection plans, in accordance with the laws and regulations and national environmental protection plans in the foregoing paragraph, and promote and implement such laws and regulations and plans.
各級政府應定期評估檢討環境保護計畫之執行狀況，並公布之。
Government entities at all levels shall regularly assess and examine the state of implementing environmental protection plans and publish such assessment and examination results.
中央政府應協助地方政府，落實地方自治，執行環境保護事務。
The central government shall assist local governments to realize local autonomy and to implement environmental protection matters.
第八條 各級政府施政應納入環境保護優先、永續發展理念，並應發展相關科學及技術，建立環境生命週期管理及綠色消費型態之經濟效率系統，以處理環境相關問題。
Article 8 Government entities at all levels shall incorporate environment first and sustainable development concepts.
They shall also develop related science and technology and establish economically efficient systems for environmental lifecycle management and green consumption to contend with issues related to the environment.
第九條 各級政府應普及環境保護優先及永續發展相關之教育及學習，加強宣導，以提升國民環境知識，建立環境保護觀念，並落實於日常生活中。
Article 9 Government entities at all levels shall make widely available environment first and sustainable development education and study and strengthen public awareness work to improve the environmental knowledge of citizens, establish environmental protection concepts and realize such concepts in daily life.
各級政府得邀請有關民眾與團體共同參與加強推動環境保護工作。
Government entities at all levels may invite relevant members of the public and groups to jointly participate and strengthen the promotion of environmental protection work.
第十二條 中央政府應推動地球永續發展相關之國際合作與技術協助、工程技術及試驗研究，並公開相關資訊，以利國民、事業運用；地方政府亦得視需要辦理之。
Article 12 The central government shall promote international cooperation and technological assistance, engineering technology and experimental research related to global sustainable development and publish related information to facilitate its use by citizens and enterprises.
Local governments may also carry out such work as deemed necessary.
第十三條 中央政府應辦理環境保護專業訓練，建立環境保護專業人員資格制度，以提升環境保護工作品質。
Article 13 The central government shall carry out professional environmental protection training and establish a qualifications system for environmental protection professional personnel to raise the quality of environmental protection work.
第十四條 法院為審理環境保護糾紛案件，得設立專庭或指定專人辦理。
Article 14 The courts may establish a dedicated court or designate dedicated personnel for environmental protection disputes.
第十五條 各級政府對於轄區內之自然、社會及人文環境狀況，應予蒐集、調查及評估，建立環境資訊系統，並供查詢。
Article 15 Government entities at all levels shall collect, survey and assess information on the condition of the natural, social and human environment within its jurisdiction, build an environmental information system and provide such system for checking.
前項環境資訊，應定期公開。
The environmental information system in the foregoing paragraph shall be open to the public on a regular basis.
第十六條 各級政府對於土地之開發利用，應以高品質寧適和諧之環境為目標，並基於環境資源總量管制理念，進行合理規劃並推動實施。
Article 16 With a high quality, comfortable and harmonious environment as the goal and on the basis of total environmental resource management concepts, government entities at all levels shall carry out reasonable plans for land development and use and promote such plans.
前項規劃，應優先考慮環境保護相關設施。
Article 16 With a high quality, comfortable and harmonious environment as the goal and on the basis of total environmental resource management concepts, government entities at all levels shall carry out reasonable plans for land development and use and promote such plans.