Functions of environmental law: concept and classification

Aleksey Anisimov

doi:10.35750/2071-8284-2025-2-50-60

UDC

349.6

VAK Russia

5.1.2

FUNCTIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAW: CONCEPT AND CLASSIFICATION Functions of environmental law: concept and classification

АА Аа

Published in Vestnik of the St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia · Pages 50–60 · Rubric: PUBLIC LAW (STATE LAW) SCIENCES

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35750/2071-8284-2025-2-50-60

Received: 07.04.2025 Accepted: 20.06.2025 Published: 26.06.2025 Language of publication: RUS

Authors

Aleksey Anisimov

ORCID

Aleksey Anisimov

Academic degree: doctor of jurisprudence sciences

Science rang: professor

Donskoy gosudarstvennyy tehnicheskiy universitet professor · kafedra ugolovnogo prava i publichno-pravovyh disciplin · Russian Federation

ORCID

ABSTRACT

Introduction. The emergence of the doctrine of functions of law dates back to the end of the XIX – beginning of the XX century, when the first research of this category was published both in European and domestic legal science. Subsequently, in the Soviet legal literature, the greatest contribution to the theory of functions was made by T. N. Radko. He undertook a significant research on the functions of socialist law, created a concept of the general regularities and properties of the functions of law, manifesting themselves in branches and institutes of law. Since the 80s of the last century, along with the classical functions of law, the environmental function is increasingly mentioned. The continuing deterioration of the environment requires not only practical environmental protection measures, but also a deep scientific understanding of the mechanism of the impact of the functions of law on the behaviour of participants in environmental relations. Methods. The research of the functions of environmental law was carried out using a system of general scientific and special methods of cognition, reflecting the specificity of legal regulation of environmental relations. The following methods of scientific cognition were used in the paper: dialectical method; formal-legal method; comparative-legal method; method of system analysis; historical-legal method; method of legal modelling. Results. The functions of environmental law are a fundamental category that reveals the essence and social role of environmental law as a branch. Regulatory and protective functions, implemented through their sub-functions (restorative, punitive, prognostic, preventive, educational, informational, organisational, etc.), provide a comprehensive impact of law on environmental relations. Russian legal doctrine has developed various approaches to understanding and classifying the functions of law, which enriches the theory of environmental law and allows to deeply explore the peculiarities and regularities of legal regulation of the interaction between nature and society. The analysis of the functions of environmental law is not only of academic interest, but also of practical value, as it allows to identify the strengths and weaknesses of environmental legislation, to outline guidelines for its development.

KEYWORDS

regulatory function, protective function, environmental law, environmental education, responsibility, sub-function

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GOST

Anisimov A. P. Functions of environmental law: concept and classification // . 2025. pp. 50-60. DOI: https://doi.org/10.35750/2071-8284-2025-2-50-60. (Date of access 19.08.2026).

MLA

Aleksey Anisimov. "Functions of environmental law: concept and classification." (2025): 50-60. DOI: https://doi.org/10.35750/2071-8284-2025-2-50-60.

APA

Anisimov A. P. (2025). Functions of environmental law: concept and classification. , 50-60. https://doi.org/10.35750/2071-8284-2025-2-50-60

Chicago

Aleksey Anisimov. "Functions of environmental law: concept and classification." , no. (2025): 50-60. https://doi.org/10.35750/2071-8284-2025-2-50-60.

WIKI

{{cite journal | author = Anisimov A. P. | title = Functions of environmental law: concept and classification | journal = | year = 2025 | pages = 50-60 | doi = 10.35750/2071-8284-2025-2-50-60 }}

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