Trends in environmental requirements in Russia under sanctions

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of the current situation in the field of environmental regulation in Russia in the context of anti-Russian sanctions and emerging new challenges related to ensuring environmental safety of economic development and sustainable development. It is shown that the main contribution to the solution of goals on the path to sustainable development is given to the green economy, which is designed not only to ensure economic growth without creating an additional burden on the environment, but also to be accompanied by minimization of the environmental and social costs associated with it. However in recent years, due to the complicated economic and political conditions, many countries have been forced to reconsider their approaches to solving environmental problems, including in the field of introducing green technologies and finding alternative ways to solve emerging problems (especially in the field of energy). at least in the short and medium term. In accordance with this, the author focuses primarily on the measures caused by the impact of sanctions on the state environmental policy, and the possible response to them from the point of view of the prospects for socio-economic development and the corresponding transformation of environmental management tools. It is shown that in Russia in recent years there have been ways to adapt the economy to the green transition, the state has intensified its activities in the field of strengthening the importance of environmental policy and expanding specific measures aimed at ensuring environmental safety. These measures, despite some of their shortcomings, testify to a noticeable shift towards awareness of the importance of environmental issues. At the same time, the sanctions announced to Russia since the end of February 2022, on the one hand, increased the motivation of Russian business for self-sufficiency (primarily technological, which will also reduce environmental risks), and on the other hand, allowed companies to use them as an argument for exemption from part of the environmental obligations. The article analyzes changes in a number of environmental requirements in the context of sanctions and assesses their possible consequences from the point of view of the medium and long term.