Ecologization of law as an instrument for the implementation of the sustainable development concept

The article examines the ecologization of law as a legal mechanism for ensuring sustainable development and identifies the paths for its effective implementation under the current conditions of the global ecological crisis and European integration processes in Ukraine. The study explores the conceptual foundations of the ecologization of law as an objective process of infusing environmental requirements into various spheres of legal regulation. It is established that the ecologization of law is not a mere mechanical addition of environmental norms to legislation but represents a profound transformation of the legal system. Three primary approaches to understanding the ecologization of law are identified: as a process of forming an autonomous branch of environmental law; as a cross-sectoral process of infusing traditional branches of law with environmental content; and as a synthesis of both developmental directions. A close interrelation between the ecologization of law and the concept of sustainable development is revealed, manifesting in three aspects: providing legal formalization for the environmental component of sustainable development; facilitating the integration of environmental requirements into economic and social policies; and implementing the principle of intergenerational equity through the creation of legal mechanisms to preserve natural resource potential for future generations. The article outlines the prospects for deepening the ecologization of law within the context of Ukraine’s European integration, specifically through the implementation of EU environmental directives, the development of green economy institutions, the improvement of the constitutional and legal foundations of ecologization, and the strengthening of the role of judicial practice in shaping environmental law. The ecologization of law is an objective process of transforming the legal system, providing a legal mechanism for the implementation of the sustainable development concept by creating a regulatory framework for environmental protection and rational environmental management. For Ukraine, deepening the ecologization of law is of particular relevance in the context of European integration, post-war recovery based on the principles of «green» growth, and the necessity of achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This requires a comprehensive approach that includes improving legislation, developing institutional mechanisms for environmental governance, increasing the effectiveness of law enforcement, and fostering an environmental legal culture.