International Legal Acts in the Field of Environmental Protection

General Provisions

International legal instruments in the field of environmental protection form the basis of global ecological cooperation among states.

They are aimed at preventing transboundary pollution, preserving biodiversity, regulating the handling of hazardous waste, and combating climate change.

Among the key documents are universal conventions and protocols establishing obligations of countries to reduce negative impact on nature and ensure environmental safety.

In addition to binding agreements, soft law instruments – declarations and charters – play an important role, enshrining principles of sustainable development and environmental responsibility.

Despite their recommendatory nature, they exert significant influence on the formation of national legislation and international practice.

Cumulatively, these documents reflect the desire of the international community to take coordinated actions for environmental preservation, ensuring ecological balance and sustainable development in the interests of present and future generations.

List of key documents

As examples of international legal instruments in the field of environmental protection, the following can be cited:

• Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (1979)¹, adopted in Geneva on 13.11.1979 and ratified by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated 29.04.1980 No. 1992-X "On Ratification of the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution".
• Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (1985)², adopted in Vienna on 22.03.1985 and accepted by the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR dated 07.05.1986 No. 525 "On Acceptance by the USSR of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and on Measures to Ensure Implementation of Obligations on the Soviet Side"³.
• Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal (1989)⁴, adopted in Basel on 22.03.1989 and ratified by the Federal Law of 25.11.1994 No. 49-FZ "On Ratification of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal"⁵.
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992)⁶ was adopted in New York on 09.05.1992 and ratified by Federal Law No. 34-FZ dated 04.11.1994 "On Ratification of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change"⁷.
• Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1997)⁸, adopted in Kyoto on 11.12.1997 and ratified by Federal Law No. 128-FZ dated 04.11.2004 "On Ratification of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change"⁹.
• Convention on Biological Diversity (1992)¹⁰, adopted in Rio de Janeiro on 13.06.1992 and ratified by Federal Law No. 16-FZ dated 17.02.1995 "On Ratification of the Convention on Biological Diversity"¹¹.
• The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (2001)¹², adopted in Stockholm on 22.05.2001 and ratified by Federal Law No. 164-FZ of 27.06.2011 "On Ratification of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants"¹³.

Also, in the field of environmental protection at the international level, norms of so-called "soft law" are of significant importance. They are referred to as norms of soft law because they contain recommendations that states voluntarily comply with. Such norms are usually adopted in the form of declarations following high-level meetings. And among the documents containing norms of soft law, the following can be highlighted.

• Declaration on the Human Environment (1972)¹⁴, adopted in Stockholm at the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (5–16 June 1972).
• World Charter for Nature (1982)¹⁵, adopted by resolution 37/7 of the United Nations General Assembly on 28 October 1982.
• Declaration on Environment and Development (1992)¹⁶, adopted in Rio de Janeiro at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (3–14 June 1992).
• Declaration on Sustainable Development (2002)¹⁷, adopted in Johannesburg at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (26 August – 4 September 2002).