General Provisions of Environmental Law

General Provisions

Environmental Law – this is a branch of law regulating social relations in the sphere of environmental protection and rational use of natural resources. Environmental law defines legal mechanisms aimed at preventing harm to the environment, preserving natural wealth, and sustainable development.

Basic Principles of Environmental Law

Russian environmental law is based on a number of principles determining the foundations of legal regulation in this area:

• Principle of sustainable development: economic development must be carried out taking into account the need for environmental protection and preservation of natural resources for future generations.
• Principle of priority of environmental protection: activity, related to nature use, should take into account ecological limitations and ensure minimal impact on nature.
• Principle of payment for nature use: use of natural resources should be carried out with due account of the need to ensure their rational exploitation and preservation, as well as to compensate for any damage caused to the environment.

"utilization» in the legal encyclopedia") should be carried out on a remunerative basis, including environmental taxes, fees and payments for negative impact.

• Principle of liability for causing environmental damage: persons, who have caused environmental damage, are obliged to compensate it, including

at the expense of applying penalty sanctions and compensation measures.

• Principle of citizens' participation in environmental protection: citizens have the right to access to ecological information, participation in ecologically significant decisions and protection of their environmental rights.
• Principle of state regulation: state organs ensure supervision over...

"supervision" in the legal encyclopedia") for compliance with environmental requirements, develop environmental standards and norms.

In detail about the principles of environmental law

Sources of Environmental Law

Russian environmental law is based on various normative legal acts, the main of which include:

• Constitution of the Russian Federation: establishes the right of everyone to a favorable environment and the obligation of the state to ensure its protection.
• Federal Laws: the main legislative acts in the field of ecology are Federal Law "On Environmental Protection," "On Sanitary and Epidemiological Well-being of the Population," "On Natural Resources," "On Wildlife" and others.
• Sub-legislative Acts: include government decrees, orders from ministries and departments regulating specific aspects of environmental protection and natural resource use.
• [International

international treaties: Russia participates in international environmental agreements, such as the Paris agreement on climate change, the convention on biological diversity, the convention on protection of the ozone layer.

See below

Constitution of the Russian Federation as a source of environmental law

Federal legislation as a source of environmental law

Legislation of the subjects of the Russian Federation as a source of environmental law

Local regulatory acts as sources of environmental law

Municipal legal acts as sources of environmental law

Objects of Environmental Law

Environmental law regulates the protection and use of various objects of the environment, including:

• Atmospheric Air: includes norms on air quality protection, regulation of emissions of harmful substances and control over pollution.
• Water Resources: are regulated by norms of the Water Code of the Russian Federation, including rules for use and protection of water objects.
• Land Resources: include protection of land from degradation, [rules](/enc/26387/ "Definition of the term

"Rules" in the legal encyclopedia") of rational land use and reclamation.

• Forests: protected by provisions of the Forest Code of the Russian Federation, providing for their rational use and restoration.
• Wildlife: subject to protection in accordance with legislation on wildlife and the protection of rare and endangered species.
• Nature reserves and national parks: especially protected natural areas

territories](/enc/24033/ "Definition of the term 'Protected Natural Territories' in the legal encyclopedia"), regulated by special laws.

In Detail About Objects of Environmental Protection

Ecological Rights and Obligations of Citizens

Citizens of the Russian Federation have rights and obligations established by legislation in the field of environmental protection, among which the following can be highlighted:

• Right to a favorable environment: includes access to environmental information and protection of one's ecological interests.
• Right to participate in making environmentally significant decisions: implemented through public hearings, petitions, and participation in environmental monitoring.
• Obligation to comply with environmental norms: citizens must treat nature carefully, avoid polluting the environment, and adhere to established norms of natural resource use.

Detailed information on environmental rights and obligations

Environmental law plays a key role in regulating relationships related to environmental protection, use of natural resources, and ensuring ecological safety. It aims at preserving nature, preventing ecological disasters, and ensuring sustainable development.