In the modern world, environmental problems have become global in nature. This is largely due to the fact that when planning and implementing the material progress of society, humanity did not take into account the ecological foundations of human life and the life of other beings.

Currently, almost all countries of the world, especially those that belong to economically developed countries, are trying to form their own environmental policies, regulate the planned use of natural resources and provide financial resources for their restoration. The main role in ensuring this activity is played by the state, but in modern society it is not the only subject of eco-policy. Such work should also be carried out by political parties, scientific and professional organizations, economic entities, social movements, etc.

But there is no doubt that environmental policy is an important component of the policy of any modern state, and its implementation or non-implementation affects the attitude of citizens to public authorities, which ultimately affects the life of every person in the country.

Environmental policy is a set of measures used to ensure long-term environmental safety, taking into account the economic opportunities and social needs of society. This is the activity of the state to achieve a strategic goal: preserving natural systems, maintaining their integrity and life-supporting functions for the sustainable development of society, which makes it possible to move from an emergency style of government to preventive planning, preventing possible crises.

The environmental policy is based on:

- promoting the restoration of resources, or at least their maximum economic use, by making better use of or switching to other, mostly renewable resources;

- strict standards for limiting the level of environmental pollution, which should facilitate the development and implementation of more environmentally efficient technologies or the removal of hazardous substances from waste, or the transition to the production of alternative products;

- protection of rare ecosystems and species, regulation of a sufficient degree of responsibility for violation of the protection regime;

- dissemination of the principles of ecological culture, which supports moving away from the consumer attitude towards the environment in the direction of conscious, rational use of natural resources and active participation of the population in the implementation of all the principles of the noosphere.

State environmental policy is a purposeful activity of the state to organize optimal interaction of society with the environment.

The main goal of environmental policy in modern conditions is to create conditions for the harmonious, balanced development of nature, society and the economy.

Types of environmental policy:

- global eco-policy, which implies the implementation of international, political and foreign economic actions with the calculation of environmental constraints in socio-economic development, the reserves of natural resources available in the world and their distribution among countries;

- state eco-policy, which implies a socio-economic policy, including international one, based on an understanding of the effects and disadvantages associated with the ecological state of territories and water areas;

- regional eco-policy is the policy of the state in relation to the regions, as well as the environmental policy implemented by the regions themselves.

An effective state environmental policy should be aimed at ensuring the ecological safety of mankind and the harmonious, balanced development of the economy, society, and nature^[184].

Types of state environmental policy:

- management eco-policy, which focuses on the technical aspects of making appropriate decisions. The main role here is played by experts who determine both the scope of consideration of a particular issue and the degree of its significance;

- a pluralistic eco-policy characterizes participation in decision-making not only by experts, but also by representatives of civil society. Environmental policy is implemented on the basis of interaction of relevant state institutions with non-governmental organizations;

- collective eco-policy is based on the concept of «rights of the local population», the meaning of which is the transfer of state powers in making certain decisions to a group of citizens whose interests are directly affected.

In addition, an effective environmental policy of an individual state, especially one with strategic resources, a sufficiently large territory and environmental traditions, should combine the above areas and be implemented at the following levels:

- the level of natural factors (protection of wildlife and the human environment, maintaining ecological balance);

- the level of social activity (mechanisms of state management of social and environmental relations and environmental activities of civil society institutions, processes and methods of legal regulation, budgetary and financial levers, mechanisms of eco-competitive struggle of subjects of economic relations, activities of civil society institutions).

Areas of implementation include areas of state environmental policy in the field of land protection, protection and use of water resources, protection of biodiversity, other natural resources or objects, as well as waste management policies, etc.

According to the legal instruments used, the following elements of environmental policy are distinguished: planning, financing, monitoring the implementation of environmental and political measures, etc.

In addition to all the above, the legal component of environmental policy is distinguished, which covers political decisions in the field of lawmaking, formation of management structures, and law enforcement. The socio-ecological component is related to political decisions and actions aimed at simultaneously protecting the interests of individual social groups (for example, the indigenous population represented by small-numbered peoples and ethnic communities on the territory of the state) and protecting the environment, reducing the impact of adverse factors, as well as protecting the health of both the population as a whole and an individual. The economic component of environmental policy is the search for political and economic compromises in the use of natural resources.

Environmental policy as state management is related to the implementation of the environmental function of the state, which conducts a national policy aimed at ensuring the environmental safety of people and society. At the same time, the state environmental policy can be developed and implemented, ensuring the dominance of one of the social groups associated with obtaining super-profits through the exploitation of natural resources.

Principles of environmental policy:

- political principles (democratic, transparent, voluntary, active and negotiated);

- socio-economic principles (matching economic development and environmental opportunities; using the achievements of scientific and technological progress to solve environmental problems; regulating consumption; planning for natural population growth);

- international principles («polluter pays»; sustainability requirements; precautions; application of the best available technology, etc.).

Main methods (mechanisms) of environmental policy:

- administrative and control (control over compliance with environmental legislation; standardization; environmental monitoring; licensing of economic activities; rationing of nature use; environmental certification; environmental impact assessment (EIA); environmental expertise; environmental and resource target programs; environmental audit);

- technical and technological (application of technical and technological means and solutions for the protection and development of the environment);

- economic (planning of nature management; creation of targeted programs; development of ecological and economic systems; system of payments, taxation, benefits and other incentives for nature users);

- legislative and legal (development and adoption of normative legal acts aimed at regulating relations between society and nature);

- political (actions of political and other organizations aimed at protecting the environment);

- educational methods (which contribute to the formation of environmental awareness and moral responsibility of the population).

When forming the mechanisms of environmental policy, it is important to find the optimal combination of administrative, legal and economic mechanisms. The predominance of one or the other leads to adverse consequences for both the environment and society.

Subjects of environmental policy:

- the state plays an important role in the formation and implementation of environmental policies. The functions of the state as a subject of environmental policy include establishing rules for the implementation of economic and other activities; coordinating the activities of all subjects of environmental policy; monitoring compliance with environmental legislation;

- economic entities (enterprises, organizations) are obliged to take care of the preservation and protection of the environment. Such an obligation is stipulated by environmental legal acts (laws). Legal acts establish the obligation of an enterprise to take into account the impact of the production process on the environment, analyze the impact of production programs on humans and the environment, and eliminate possible harmful consequences;

- research organizations, whose role is constantly increasing, since the results of scientific research are an important tool for the strategy of economic growth and sustainable development, and, consequently, for environmental protection;

- political parties , as subjects of environmental policy, formulate their ideology (program) and cannot ignore environmental problems, especially in modern conditions. Also, through the popularization of their program views, the parties contribute to the formation of environmental awareness of the population. In addition, if the party wins the election, it develops a concept of environmental policy and implements it through legal documents.

- public organizations play an important role in the development and adoption of environmentally significant decisions, monitoring the implementation of environmental legislation, participating in environmental protection activities, and providing environmental education and education to the population;

- individual citizens can come up with environmental initiatives, unite in groups to solve specific, usually local environmental problems.

Thus, the environmental policy of the state as a single set of all rules and measures to maintain the balance of the socio-ecological system is the basis for the transition to a new state of society. A society that is ready to live according to the rules of resource conservation and with a sense of responsibility towards nature and those subsequent generations that will replace it.

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^[184] Ecology, Nature Conservation, Environmental Safety. – Moscow, 2000.