Planning Act (No. 937 of 2009; consolidated No. 587 of 2013; no. 50/2018)

Consolidated and updated act on land use planning to ensure a sustainable land use that supports multiple purposes such as environmental protection, adaptation to climate change, habitats for wild life and protection of biodiversity. The act requires local authorities and municipalities to provide plans and strategies on how this overall objective of sustainable development and land use can be achieved in their specific circumstances to sustainably manage human living conditions.

It implements the European Council Directive on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (1985 and 1997) and was implemented in 2011. It was further amended by the Act on the assessment and management of flood risk from rivers and lakes (2009), the act amending the Planning Act (2013), the act amending the Planning Law (2011), the act amending the Nature Protection Act, Planning Act, Act on watercourses and various other laws (2011), the act amending the Environmental Protection Act, the Planning Act and various other Acts (2011) and the act amending Nature and Environmental Act and others (2012).