Environmental protection and public environmental policy in the Ukraine

Abstract

We proved that the state environmental policy is based on certain political, social, and economic principles. In particular, political principles refer to democracy, publicity, volunteerism, activism, and negotiation. Social and economic principles are the following: conformity of economic development and environmental opportunities using the achievements of scientific and technological progress to solve environmental problems, consumption regulation, and planning of natural population growth. In states with different social and political systems, these principles may vary. It is noted that the implementation of the principles of environmental policy is carried out through specific methods (mechanisms). There are different approaches in determining environmental policy methods, which could conditionally be divided into economic and non-economic (administrative) ones. We suggested that regional environmental policy is shaped by the following factors: pollution accumulated over the previous period, the scale of which varies in the regions, priorities of public environmental policy; condition of the economy in the region; health status of the population. It is proved that the current state environmental policy of Ukraine does not help our country to compete for environmental investments. Accordingly, long-term systemic work is needed to implement effective environmental policies.