Ecologically balanced land use in an international context: management mechanisms and policies

The study examines the issue of environmentally sustainable land use management in the context of global environmental challenges such as climate change, land degradation, and biodiversity loss. The work aims to analyze international experience in implementing ecologically balanced land use practices and assess their potential adaptation within Ukraine’s land governance system, which aligns with European environmental policies and standards. The research is based on a comparative analytical approach using data from international organizations, ecological policy documents, legal frameworks, and case studies from countries with well-established sustainable land management systems. The analysis focuses on policy instruments, institutional mechanisms, and economic incentives that promote the integration of environmental criteria into land use planning. Special emphasis is placed on identifying universal principles and tools that ensure a balance between productive land use, ecosystem services preservation, and rural areas’ socio-economic development. The study reveals that the transition to sustainable land use requires integrated, landscape-based approaches that simultaneously address environmental, economic, and social dimensions. Effective practices include applying economic tools such as payments for ecosystem services, agri-environmental subsidies, and tax incentives for sustainable land use models. These mechanisms support multifunctional land use while maintaining soil fertility, biodiversity, and climate resilience. It is shown that many countries have successfully incorporated sustainability principles into their land use policies, supported by coordinated planning, monitoring systems, and inclusive stakeholder engagement. In contrast, Ukraine’s land use policy remains fragmented, with weak institutional coordination and limited application of environmental instruments in decision-making processes. The results of this study can be used in developing national and regional land use policies, formulating sustainable rural development strategies, and designing environmental-economic instruments for land use regulation. The findings also apply in academic and educational contexts, particularly in environmental management, land policy, and sustainable spatial planning. Keywords: ecologically balanced land use; landscape approach; ecosystem services; international experience; land management; spatial planning.