Search

The subject of the study incorporates the problems and prospects of remote sensing of the Earth, an analysis of the effectiveness of the international legal framework in this area is given in the article.General and special methods of legal analysis were used.The main results of the research include the proof that from a technical point of view, the definition and concept of remote sensing do not cause disagreement among professionals, but it was not possible to achieve consensus on the international legal status of remote sensing. It is not in the main sources of international space law. The Principles of Remote Sensing of 1986 are imperfect and outdated in many respects, although they remain the only universal international document regulating remote sensing, and have not been challenged for more than 30 years. A balance has been established between the interests of states on the main controversial issues, such as the relationship between freedom of space monitoring, state sovereignty and access to remote sensing data.The results are practically significant, as they can serve as the basis for new normative legal acts at the international level, in the long term it is important to further expand cooperation in the field of remote sensing within the UN and other international organizations, conclude regional and bilateral agreements and develop national legislation.The conclusion of the study is that the formation of the legal framework for remote sensing occurs by integrating the norms of "soft laws" into national laws, fixing them in international treaties and, as a consequence, the emergence of norms of customary law and norms of international law.

INTRODUCTION. Te Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) which came into force in January 2021 divided the international society into two groups: its ardent supporters and opponents. Te vast majority of the parties to the Treaty are the states which have neither nuclear potential, nor political influence in the international nuclear agenda. In contrast, all the nuclear-weapon powers and almost all states with nuclear infrastructures refused to participate in the TPNW. Te Treaty contains an array of legal flaws, does not require any verifcation mechanism or even time-frame for nuclear weapons destruction.MATERIALS AND METHODS. Te study is based on the international treaties in the sphere of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, resolutions of international organizations, ofcial statements, and joint documents of the heads of states and of the fve nuclear-weapon states (P5). Materials used for the analysis include scholar works of Russian and foreign researches in the international security law and nuclear law. Te research is based on general methods of study such as systematic approach, induction and deduction, logical forecasting, and specifc methods including historical and legal comparative methods.RESEARCH RESULTS. Te article starts with the history of international efforts of nuclear weapons prohibition and approaches of leading powers. Specifc legal drawbacks inherent in the TPNW were exposed which proves that the Treaty is in fact a legally inconsistent document. At the same time antinuclear attitudes behind the Treaty should be understood and taken into consideration. Tere is a strong need for a constructive alternative to the TPNW.DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. By comparing the various states’ approaches and legal opinions, the authors come up with a “Road Map” of actions which could become a real counterweight to the hasty and ill-considered decisions to prohibit nuclear weapons. Among those actions is the movement along two parallel tracks. Te frst one is Russian-American talks on further nuclear arms reductions which should include all strategic factors. Te second one is a gradual involvement in the process of other nuclearweapon powers through informal mechanism of consultations of the P5. Te article prescribes how to fll this mechanism with measures of transparency, confdence building and predictability.

INTRODUCTION. The article is devoted to practical and legal aspects of floating nuclear power plants (FNPPs). The first ever FNPP “Academic Lomonosov” was built in 2019 in Russia. It is a unique transportable nuclear low-power unit intended for energy and heat supply of remote port cities, industrial enterprises, gas and oil platforms. “Lomonosov” and its successor generations will have a major impact on the global nuclear energy market. The question arises how FNPPs fit into the rules of International Law.MATERIALS AND METHODS. The research was based on the analyses of international conventions on nuclear safety, security and civil liability, Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, IAEA documents on safeguards and standards, scholarly publications. General and special methods of legal research were used.RESEARCH RESULTS. The authors determined that in the specific case of “Academic Lomonosov” which will operate on the Russian territory no collisions with the rules of International Law are expected. However, if future serial FNPPs go for export, it will be important to analyze their compatibility with international treaties.DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. This paper concludes that FNPPs are largely compatible with the existing rules of International Law. However, there are some gaps and grey areas, especially in an export scenario. To mitigate those problems, bilateral intergovernmental agreements between the supplying and the importing states shall be concluded on their obligations in all legal and institutional issues prior to FNPP’s international shipment. Safeguards arrangement with the IAEA should be envisaged as well.

The article contains analysis of nuclear environmental problems of the Arctic region under the International Law. It seems important to further develop cooperation to strengthen the international legal framework for nuclear and environmental security in the region, and to improve the Russian national legislation. Such cooperation should be aimed, inter alia, at creating a regional treaty mechanism for responding to potential nuclear accidents by concluding an appropriate intergovernmental agreement on coordination of cooperation under the Conventions on Early Warning Notification and on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency. Russia is the only state in the world that owns and operates a civilian nuclear icebreaker’s fleet on the Northern Sea Route. In the coming years the first floating nuclear power plant will start operating in the Chukotka Peninsula. In case of its export abroad, it will be required to create additional international legal instruments. Russia has ratified the 1963 Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage but has not yet adopted legislation on its financial implementation. It is required to adopt such a law as well as to accede to the revised 1997 Vienna Convention. Nuclear-ecological problems in connection with the elimination of the “nuclear legacy” of the Cold War are still on top of the agenda. That includes the fate of the radioactive stuffs and waste flooded in the Arctic seas. The main conclusion of the article is that the existing international legal base is ipso facto sufficient for the continued solution of Arctic nuclear ecological problems. Additional focused efforts of all interested Arctic partners are required.

This article analyzes the current status of the International Nuclear Law. It contains arguments in support of the assertion that the International Nuclear Law has been already formed as a separate branch of International Law. The article formulates the subject of the International Nuclear Law as the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The author puts forward the argument that nuclear disarmament belongs to another branch of the International Law – the International Security Law. Pressing issues of further development of the International Nuclear Law are set forth: the further analysis of lessons learned from Fukushima NPP accident, and their implementation in national legislations and the IAEA recommendations; establishment of an international mechanism for rapid response in the event of a nuclear accident; strengthening of the nuclear security regime; overcoming the fragmentation of the international liability regime for nuclear damage.