This is the 13848th most frequent Russian word.
обеспечил
"Обеспечил" means "provided" or "ensured."
Here, 'обеспечил' is used to mean 'provided'; it is used in a literal sense to indicate that he secured essential goods or services for the family.
Он обеспечил семью всем необходимым.
He provided the family with everything necessary.
In this context, 'обеспечил' means 'ensured' or 'guaranteed'; it connotes the action of creating conditions necessary for environmental protection.
Этот новый закон обеспечил защиту окружающей среды.
This new law ensured the protection of the environment.
In this case, 'обеспечил' implies 'enabled' or 'facilitated'; it denotes that the discovery served as a foundation for advancement.