Legal support for environmental safety and natural resource management in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation

The article explores the features of legal support for environmental safety and strategic planning of natural resource management in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation under conditions of climate change and increased anthropogenic pressure. Special attention is given to the legal aspects of accounting for climate risks associated with permafrost degradation, as well as ecological threats caused by the development of the Northern Sea Route and the growth of economic activity. Regulatory legal acts and strategic planning documents that define state policy in the Arctic are analyzed, and their key contradictions and shortcomings are identified, including the declarative nature of environmental provisions and the fragmentation of regulation. The necessity of transitioning from a formal consideration of environmental factors to their institutionalization in the strategic planning system is justified. The conclusion is drawn on the need to form a comprehensive legal mechanism that ensures the integration of climate and geocryological risks into decision-making processes and sustainable development of the Arctic zone. The subject of the study includes legal norms, principles, and mechanisms regulating environmental safety and strategic planning of natural resource management in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, including legal tools for accounting for climate and geocryological risks associated with permafrost degradation and the development of the Northern Sea Route. The methodological foundation of the research consists of general scientific and specialized legal research methods. The author used methods of analysis and synthesis of scientific literature, allowing for the examination of existing scientific approaches to legal regulation of environmental safety in the Arctic. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the comprehensive analysis of legal support for environmental safety through the lens of strategic planning for natural resource management in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, taking into account climate and geocryological factors. The concept of institutionalizing permafrost risks in the system of mandatory legal requirements is justified, including the necessity of introducing geocryological assessment when carrying out economic activities. A systemic gap between scientific data on climate change and current legal regulation is revealed. The establishment of a special legal mechanism for accounting permafrost degradation, integrated into strategic, urban planning, and environmental legislation, is proposed, which allows for a shift from a declarative model to a preventive system for ensuring environmental safety. Additionally, criteria for the legal assessment of permafrost risks are developed to enhance the efficiency of state ecological control

Arctic · Climate change · Environmental law · Natural resource · Russian federation · Strategic Environmental Assessment · Strategic planning · Sustainable development · Arctic and Russian Policy Studies · Climate change and permafrost · Environmental Sustainability and Technology

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