Global problems of modernity: concept, essence and classification

Introduction. Domestic criminology practically does not pay attention to the global problems of our time. At the same time, these unresolved problems give rise to a number of extremely negative consequences that are important for the life of society. These are environmental degradation, famine, food shortages, lack of irrigation and drinking water, reduction of biological diversity, climate change, ecological migration, an increase in the incidence of disease and premature death of people, mass genetic deviations, social tensions, an increase in crime, armed conflicts over possession of natural resources. The need to counter the identified threats and consequences necessitates their study and thorough criminal, political and criminological comprehension, as well as the prediction of potential threats and development of adequate countermeasures. Goal setting. The global problems of our time pose danger to the entire world community, since the uncontrolled, often criminal human induced impact on the environment causes such harm to all living things that it threatens the existence of the current civilization. Objective. Research of concept, essence, dynamics of global problems of the present and development of their classification. Methodology. The methodology of the work is based on the application of general scientific methods (including comparison and analysis). The work used special methods of science – comparative legal and formal legal, logical, historical. Results. The paper provides a comparative analysis of the concepts and classifications of global problems of our time, reveals the essence of the indicated phenomenon, suggests the author’s concept and criteria for classifying problems as «global», defines and separates global environmental threats to environmental safety. The author comes to the conclusion that such a global problem of modernity as consistent degradation of law, which is the most important regulator of social relations and the greatest achievement of civilization, is clearly underestimated and has not received criminological analysis.