Конституціоналізм в умовах екологічних викликів сучасності та роль конституційного права у забезпеченні екологічної безпеки

The article examines topical issues of constitutional law and constitutionalism in the context of environmental challenges of our time. It is noted that a healthy and ecologically balanced environment and environmental safety are among the fundamental constitutional values at the present stage of human development. It is argued that the issues of ecology, establishment of ecological constitutionalism and functioning of the ecological state are of particular importance in today’s conditions. At the global level, the relevant issues have become more acute due to the sharp aggravation of environmental issues and global environmental disasters (e.g., the Chornobyl disaster) which have threatened the very existence of humanity. As a result, modern constitutions in most countries have recently begun to enshrine general principles of environmental policy. Given that the issue of environmental security in Ukraine has been elevated to the constitutional level for objective reasons, the relevant processes of ensuring it are largely related to the functioning of the foundations of the constitutional order and the establishment of constitutionalism. Wars and armed conflicts are among the most destructive factors affecting environmental security, threatening human health, biodiversity and the survival of the global ecosystem. For Ukraine, the problem of environmental security has become particularly acute in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war. The article analyses the foreign experience of constitutional regulation of environmental human rights, environmental protection and environmental safety. On this basis, it is concluded that, firstly, nature protection and environmental safety are among the most acute social problems and are among the most important national tasks. Secondly, all parts of the constitutional mechanism of the State and its bodies are responsible for nature protection within their competence. Thirdly, the implementation of constitutional principles ensures that environmental functions are focused on solving the tasks facing the State in the field of environmental safety and rational use of natural resources.