Abstract

• This study analyses the environmental harms caused by Myanmar’s mining industry and evaluates the legal frameworks governing environmental protection. Although mining remains a vital contributor to the national economy, it has generated severe ecological consequences such as water and air pollution, deforestation, and biodiversity loss. The research employs doctrinal and case analysis to examine national legislation, including the Environmental Conservation Law (2012), the Myanmar Mines Law (1994, amended 2015), and the Environmental Impact Assessment Procedures (2015), alongside relevant international environmental principles such as the precautionary and polluter-pays principles. The findings reveal weaknesses in enforcement and persistent legal challenges, particularly in illegal and unregulated mining zones. Based on this analysis, the paper proposes actionable recommendations to strengthen Myanmar’s legal and institutional responses to environmental degradation in the mining sector.