Legal regulation of ensuring environmental security in Central Asian countries

The aim of the study was to examine the legal mechanisms for ensuring environmental security in Central Asian countries. A phased analysis of the regulatory framework was conducted, starting at the constitutional level and extending to sectoral legislation and institutional support. The study addressed transboundary environmental threats in Central Asia, particularly the degradation of water resources in the Syr Darya and Amu Darya basins, as well as transboundary air pollution in the Fergana Valley. The low effectiveness of existing agreements was attributed to the absence of joint monitoring mechanisms, inconsistency of standards, and limited legal liability among the parties. The activities of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea were assessed as fragmented and insufficiently integrated into national policies. Structural barriers and conditions for effective environmental coordination among the countries of the region were identified. A comparative analysis of legislative frameworks revealed that only Kazakhstan has a fully codified and updated body of environmental law, while other states continue to rely on frameworks established in the 1990s, which have not been adapted to contemporary challenges such as climate change or the digitalisation of environmental governance. Institutional models also differ significantly: Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are moving towards consolidation and digitalisation of environmental policy bodies, whereas Tajikistan and Turkmenistan maintain rigidly centralised and less effective structures. A major threat to regional security is posed by over 90 radiation-hazardous facilities in Kyrgyzstan, which could affect neighbouring ecosystems in the event of a man-made accident. The study found that cross-border cooperation remains largely declarative, with international conventions implemented only in fragmented form. The findings confirmed the need for a comprehensive overhaul of the legal framework for environmental security, enhanced interstate coordination, and the development of effective mechanisms to implement environmental rights and obligations at the regional level. The practical significance of the study lies in its potential application to improving national environmental legislation in Central Asian countries, drafting joint intergovernmental agreements on environmental protection, and providing recommendations to international organisations involved in environmental assistance and integration of environmental policy into regional development strategies