ECOLOGICAL CONSTITUTION OF THE EARTH: NECESSITY AND CHANCE OF HUMANITY’S SURVIVAL

Abstract

Abstract. The worsening of anthropogenic load has led to the emergence of the “golden billion” theory, which focuses on the uneven access to resources and opportunities. With the further deepening of these processes, humanity’s chances for survival and sustainable development are decreasing, jeopardizing harmonious coexistence on the planet.The idea of creating a legal act necessary for all humanity, which would ensure the survival of all living things on planet Earth, is not new. It arose back in the 90s of the last century and was the result of an active search by scientists around the world for ways to overcome the ecological crisis of a planetary scale, caused by a global change in irreversible processes in the Earth’s biosphere and the negative consequences of human activity. The relevance of the idea of creating an Ecological Constitution of the Earth is growing every year, and this is primarily due to the spread of globalization processes, anthropogenic and technogenic loads, wars, climate change, deterioration of the Earth’s ozone layer, etc.In June 1992, the UN Conference on Environment and Development, known as the Earth Summit, was held in Rio de Janeiro. Despite criticism for the lack of specificity and weakness of the adopted agreements, this event was an important step in drawing attention to the harmonious coexistence of man and nature. A significant role in raising global environmental awareness was played by the efforts of scientists, public and religious figures, as well as politicians, among whom the contribution of former US Vice President Al Gore stands out.Al Gore made a significant contribution to the understanding of the global environmental crisis by the general public, political and business elite in his country and around the world and contributed to the creative search for effective ways to overcome it.Unfortunately, this idea did not find support in the convincing scientific substantiation of famous Ukrainian scientists: Yu. Yu. Tunitsa, Yu. S. Shemshuchenko, F. G. Burchak, M. M. Kostytsky, S. A. Kravchenko. For the first time, thoroughly and methodologically, this idea was covered in the article “Ecological Constitution of the Earth: essence and conceptual principles”.Thus, the article highlights the relevance of establishing the Ecological Constitution of the Earth as a key international legal document for preserving the planet’s biosphere and ensuring sustainable development of humanity. The authors analyze the current state of ecological systems, resource depletion, and global challenges, proposing strategies to overcome them through legal regulation and international cooperation. The implementation of the proposed mechanisms will enable an effective response to ecological threats, stabilize ecosystems, and ensure the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature.