International Legal Protection of Natural Habitats

Abstract

The aim of the article is to study the formation and development of the international legal protection of natural habitats, as well as to determine its current state and prospects for improvement in the context of increasing global environmental challenges and the development of the ecosystem approach in international environmental law. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the transformation of approaches to nature conservation—from fragmented protection of individual species to the comprehensive regulation of natural habitats as a key element of biodiversity conservation.

The methodological basis of the study consists of general scientific and special legal research methods, in particular the systemic, formal-legal, comparative-legal, and functional methods. Their application made it possible to comprehensively examine the provisions of universal and regional international treaties, acts of international organizations, as well as the practice of implementation of international legal obligations by states in the field of natural habitat protection.

The scientific novelty of the study lies in the generalization of the evolution of international legal regulation of natural habitat protection as an independent object of legal protection, as well as in identifying and systematizing the trend of transition from a species-oriented approach to a holistic ecosystem model of nature conservation. Additionally, the strengthening of the habitat approach as a fundamental element of the modern architecture of international environmental law is substantiated.

The conclusions emphasize that modern international law is gradually forming a comprehensive system for the protection of natural habitats; however, its effectiveness and efficiency remain limited due to the framework nature of a significant number of international legal instruments, the fragmentation of regulation, and insufficient coordination of implementation mechanisms. The need for further strengthening of institutional and legal mechanisms for the implementation of international obligations, the development of the ecosystem approach as a universal model of nature conservation, and the enhancement of the legal binding force and enforceability of international legal norms in this field is substantiated.