Corruption Risks in the Use and Protection of Water Bodies

Abstract

Corruption in the sphere of the use and protection of water bodies in Russia aggravates environmental threats and undermines all legal regulations of water relations. It is quite often that street-level corruption transforms into business corruption in this sphere. The authors present a critical analysis of the legal regulation of water relations and court practice to identify corruption risks and manifestations. Using court practice and research results, they determine the «pressure points» of Russian water legislation regarding corruption risks and manifestations and present their suggestions on amending the drawbacks in current legislation to ensure the effective prevention and elimination of corruption in the use and protection of water bodies. Manifestations of corruption are supported by monopolies and legal nihilism. In this sphere, strict compliance with laws is, evidently, not enough to counteract corruption. It is necessary to develop water legislation and adjacent branches of law that reduce corruption risks and manifestations. The authors use methods of systemic analysis and modeling, as well as the universal scientific methods of induction, deduction, and abstraction. Their research touches upon such problems as corruption risks and manifestations at the contemporary stage of water legislation’s development; small water bodies and corruption; the agreement on the creation of artificial land plots within water bodies; groundwater resources and corruption risks; monopolies and corruption risks in water relations; public control in Russia in connection with corruption risks and manifestations. In conclusion the authors connect the goals and tasks of the progressive development of water law in the sphere of ensuring sustainable water use and counteracting corruption at the level of the Federation, its subjects, and municipalities.