Regulatory and Legal Aspects of Economic Activity Management for Mitigating the Negative Impact of Climate Change on Ukraine’s Water Resources

Abstract

Introduction. Climate change has become an increasingly pressing global challenge, with water resources representing one of the sectors most vulnerable to its adverse impacts.Problem Statement. Ukraine is among the least freshwater-secure countries in Europe and is experien cing a significant decline in both the quantity and quality of its freshwater resources. This trend is largely attributable to climate change, the adverse impacts of economic activity, and deficiencies inwater resource management. Consequently, improving the legal regulation of water relations has become a priority.Purpose. This study aims to analyze Ukrainian and European water legislation in order to assess potential threats to freshwater resources arising from climate change and inadequate regulation of economic activities, particularly in the agricultural sector.Materials and Methods. The study is based on key Ukrainian and European legislative acts governing water resources, together with selected international databases on anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, the condition of water resources, and the impacts of climate change on aquatic ecosystems. Comparative legal analysis and formal legal methods are employed to evaluate the national legal frameworkand its consistency with European Union legislation.Results. The study has examined the evolution of European and Ukrainian legislation on water protection and conservation over the past five decades and analyzed the progress of implementing EU water legislation into the national legal framework of Ukraine. The analysis has revealed a number of inconsistencies between Ukrainian and European legal provisions that require further harmonization through legislative amendments, particularly in the context of climate-related risks. The findings have demonst rated the necessity of broaderimplementation of a risk-based approach to water resource management and have highlighted the need to strengthenthe legal regulation of agrochemical use, which remains one of the major sources of water pollution in Ukraine.Conclusions. The existing legal framework governing the protection and conservation of water resources has not yetbeen fully aligned with European Union legislation, and several areas of legal regulation remain underdeveloped. Theobtained results have provided a scientific basis for proposing amendments to national legislation aimed at strengthening the legal protection and sustainable management of Ukraine’s water resources under conditions of climate change.