To the question on the priority of the natural form of compensation for damage caused to the environment (on the example of water objects and soils)

Abstract

The subject of this research is the provisions of current environmental and civil legislation that establish the grounds, procedure and forms of compensation for damage caused to the environment. The article examines, generalizes and critically analyzes the practice of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, and arbitration courts on consideration of disputes related to the compensation for damage caused to the environment. Special attention is given to the decision of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation No.12-P of 06.02.2015 and the decree of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation No.49 of 11.30.2017. The article employs the results of environmental legal and cognate scientific research. The conclusion is substantiated on the priority of the natural forms of compensation for damage caused to the environment; in the instance of full or maximum possible compensation, it requires taking prompt measures for the effective restoration of the damaged environment. The author it is substantiated that the questions of possibility for conducting recovery works, their volume and terms can be submitted to legal examination directly in the context of resolving a dispute on the compensation for damage caused to the environment (regardless of the development of recovery project at the pretrial stage). It is noted that such mechanism of proof gains special relevance in case if the time interval between the date of detection of pollution and prior to submission of a claim is insufficient for the development of recovery project through extrajudicial procedure.