Opportunities to Transform the Concept of Sustainable Development

Abstract

Objective: At present, sustainable development has acquired the status of an influential legal principle and has become a key marker in the field of legislation that regulates development in all spheres of life. The authors proceed from the fact that the concept of sustainable development will inevitably be transformed. The study aims to determine the opportunity to transform the concept of sustainable development into a new global branch of law with its subject, methods, principles, and functions. Methods: Qualitative research methods, including a desk review and comparative analysis of scholarly works related to sustainable development, were employed. A selection criteria-based approach was used to identify relevant publications, resulting in the analysis of 72 pertinent papers. Results: The study results include the main concepts of legal understanding that can be applied to the law of sustainable development, as well as the typical features of social-legal relations included in the subject of sustainable development law. The law of sustainable development is an emerging global branch of law that regulates social relations in the field of sustainable development using traditional and alternative methods. Conclusion: The study proves that it is expedient to apply the systematic method and the method of public obligations in the law of sustainable development. Opportunities exist for transforming the concept of sustainable development into a distinct global branch of law, facilitating enhanced environmental protection, poverty alleviation, improved quality of life, and national security.