ABSTRACT
The Argentine Republic is a federally organized country with four levels of government: nation, provinces, municipalities and the City of Buenos Aires; and three powers: executive, legislative and judicial. Section 24 of the National Constitution establishes that the provinces have sovereignty over the natural resources located within their territory. The provinces are therefore responsible for and have legal jurisdiction over environmental issues. Nevertheless, the National Congress is competent to enact legislation in a number of relevant areas. In particular, it is responsible for establishing minimum standards for environmental protection (Section 41). The provinces may then complement these with their own stricter regulations. The National Congress is also responsible for enacting legislation that addresses international, interprovincial and interjurisdictional trade, as well as criminal, civil, commerce, mining and labour codes (Section 75), and any legislation that relates to the harmonized growth of the nation.
