Ukrainian Reform of Decentralization Processes Consolidating the Sustainable Development: Environmental and Legal Aspects

Abstract

The strategic vision of sustainable development for Ukraine is based on ensuring national interests and accomplishing international commitments proceeding to sustainable development. Sustainable development involves decentralization and implementation of regional policy, which is based on a harmonious combination of national and regional interests regarding ecology. This article aims to identify and analyze environmental and legal components of the decentralization of power in Ukraine as a means to sustainable development provisions. The main focus of ecological decentralization is placed on land resources. This is due to the peculiarities of the national system of environmental law (natural resource and environmental regulations) of Ukraine. The article highlights the main and additional areas of environmental decentralization. It analyzes the legislation and the practice of its implementation in the sphere of natural resources reallocation, territorial communities’ demarcation, and their planning process. The roles of cadasters, registers, and electronic databases in maintaining natural resources for the successful decentralization of power are analyzed. The legal perspectives for the decentralization of environmental control are also outlined. The status of financial and ecological resources redistribution in the process of decentralization is highlighted along with the ways of its subsequent improvement. The conclusion suggests the ways for the improvement of legislation and the practice of its implementation to accomplish successful decentralization reform.