Development of legal provision for environmental security of the Russian Federation in the context of implementing sustainable development goals

Abstract

One of the urgent tasks in the field of sustainable development that requires a systemic solution is the protection of the population, its health and wellbeing from hazards emanating from the environment. This necessitates the formation of a coherent system of legal provision for environmental security in Russia. Despite the fact that the provisions of regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation in general allow to ensure the implementation of all 17 Sustainable Development Goals, the study revealed the lack of unified ideas at the state level about the system of legislation in the field of environmental security and the mechanisms of its implementation. The authors recognize the confusion of the concepts of "ensuring environmental security" and "environmental protection", as well as the goals and objectives facing them, as a key problem. This, in turn, causes the lack of a clear delimitation of powers in the sphere of environmental protection and in the sphere of environmental security, as well as of lawmaking powers between the Russian Federation and its constituent entities in the legislation. The authors draw attention to the importance of improving the legal provision of environmental security at the level of RF subjects, since it is in the regional law-making process that it is possible to take into account the real state of environmental security, identify possible threats and develop the necessary legal means. The lack of an effective mechanism for cooperation between lawmaking bodies and the public in developing policies, plans, programmes, and laws and other regulations in this area is not conducive to harmonious development of legal support for environmental security. At the same time, the Sustainable Development Agenda emphasizes the importance of uniting efforts of all stakeholders to implement the SDGs. The article substantiates the conclusion that the adoption of the Federal Law "On ensuring environmental security" can contribute to the solution of these problems. Its goals should be: to establish a legal basis for ensuring environmental security; to protect the rights and legitimate interests of citizens, society and the state from the negative consequences of the impact of altered environment; to promote sustainable development of the Russian Federation. This law is proposed to establish a unified terminology, principles, and structure of legislation in the field of environmental security. The following are proposed as the main directions of ensuring environmental security: information support of activities in the field of environmental security, rationing in the field of environmental security, assessment and prevention of threats to environmental security, elimination of the consequences of dangerous environmental situations. Contribution of the authors: the authors contributed equally to this article. The authors declare no conflicts of interests.