International legal trends of development of the principle of rational use of natural resources in the environmental law of Ukraine

Abstract

The article analyzes some issues of further development of the principle of rational use of natural resources in the environmental law of Ukraine from the point of view of modern international legal trends. The ecological-legal thought has not yet developed a common understanding of the place of the ecosystem approach in environmental law, since it can be considered in at least two aspects: how the characteristic of the principle of rational use of natural resources and as an independent principle of environmental law are necessary. Therefore, the answer to this question can be obtained after a thorough and comprehensive scientific study of the essence of the ecosystem approach in the aspect of legal regulation of environmental relations. It is concluded that the further development of this principle is necessarily connected with its understanding and implementation in the aspect of the concept of sustainable development, according to which the compulsory balance between meeting the modern needs of all humanity and protecting the interests of future generations, including their need for safe and a healthy environment. This concept is based on the ecosystem approach, which is a strategy for integrated resource management, which ensures their conservation and sustainable use on an equitable basis. In other words, such extremely important characteristics as sustainability and complexity of the use of natural resources, will serve as the basis for understanding the principle of their rational use.

Keywords

• principles of environmental law
• rational use of natural resources
• environmental management
• international environmental law
• the concept of sustainable development
• ecosystem approach