The Islamic Revolution Approach

The Islamic Revolution Approach

Examining the Security of Environmental Rights on Sustainable Development with Respect to Upstream Documents after the Islamic Revolution

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 PhD student in private law, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Law, Takestan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Takestan, Iran
Abstract
The present study aims to examine the impact of environmental legal security on sustainable development within the upstream documents of the post-Islamic Revolution era. The findings indicate that sustainable development in the current era has become deeply humanized, and the purely economic perception of the environment at any cost is fading away. Therefore, Article 50 of the Constitution needs to be amended in favor of the right to a healthy environment and sustainable development, and to be placed under the category of the rights of the nation as stipulated in Article 3 of the Constitution. However, from a comparative perspective, it should be noted that the current policies promulgated by the Supreme Leader in the form of the General Environmental Policies, issued in 2015 (1394 Solar Hijri), possess a more specific and objective character concerning environmental issues and sustainable development. Nevertheless, for the existing laws of the post-Islamic Revolution era to effectively support the realization of the right to the environment and sustainable development, they must move beyond generalities—such as treating environmental issues merely as a public right—and shift toward the specification of environmental offenses, the enactment of deterrent regulations, and the increase of the costs associated with committing environmental crimes. In the international arena, pursuing environmental diplomacy is of particular importance for resolving short-term environmental problems (such as dust storms and water shortages) and for realizing a region grounded in sustainable development. This article employs a descriptive-analytical method and utilizes library-based (documentary) research tools. The theoretical framework of the article is based on problem-solving and problem-solving-oriented policymaking.

Introduction
A healthy environment is today recognized as one of the fundamental human rights and one of the most important pillars of achieving sustainable development. The expansion of the concept of human rights towards recognizing solidarity rights and the rights of future generations has caused the right to the environment to go beyond a purely economic or managerial issue and to be considered as a fundamental human right by legal systems. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, Article 50 of the Constitution has also recognized environmental protection; however, the position of this principle, the way it is written, and the dispersion of environmental laws have created challenges in the path of effective realization of this right. On the other hand, the increase in crises such as air pollution, fine dust, lack of water resources, destruction of forests and biodiversity have made the necessity of reviewing legislative, executive, and judicial policies more evident than ever before. The present study aims to examine the role of environmental law security in achieving sustainable development, analyzing the upstream documents of the Islamic Republic of Iran after the Islamic Revolution and seeking to provide solutions to strengthen the position of environmental rights in the country's legal system.

Materials and Methods
This research was conducted using a descriptive-analytical method and library resources. The research data was collected through a study of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the general environmental policies announced in 2015, related laws and regulations, upstream documents, and scientific sources. The theoretical framework of the research is based on a problem-solving and public policy-making approach; in such a way that, in addition to identifying the most important legal and executive obstacles to achieving environmental security, corrective solutions in the areas of legislation, implementation, judiciary, and foreign policy have been examined.

Discussion
Despite the provision of Article 50 of the Constitution, the position of this principle in the chapter on economic affairs is not fully consistent with the fundamental nature of the right to the environment; therefore, transferring it to the section on the rights of the nation and amending the language of this principle, including replacing the phrase "any type of damage" with "irreparable damage", can provide more effective protection for the environment. The results of the study also show that the general environmental policies announced by the Supreme Leader in 2015, compared to the existing scattered laws, adopt a more specialized, forward-looking approach and are more in line with the requirements of sustainable development and emphasize the rights of future generations, sustainable management of natural resources and promoting the accountability of executive bodies. However, the weakness in the implementation of these policies, the lack of a comprehensive environmental law, the dispersion of regulations, the low guarantee of criminal enforcement and the lack of effective deterrence are among the most important obstacles to the realization of environmental rights security. On the other hand, limited citizen participation and the lack of institutionalized mechanisms for people to play their role in environmental protection have resulted in social responsibility in this area not being institutionalized in a desirable manner. The research also shows that achieving sustainable development requires considering environmental protection as a public duty of citizens, strengthening public participation, creating specialized and integrated laws, intensifying legal enforcement guarantees, and also developing environmental diplomacy to resolve transboundary issues such as fine dust, marine pollution, and common rights.

Conclusion
Environmental rights security is one of the basic prerequisites for achieving sustainable development in the Islamic Republic of Iran, and its realization requires structural reforms in the areas of legislation, implementation, judiciary, and foreign policy. In this regard, reviewing Article 50 of the Constitution and promoting the status of the right to the environment as one of the rights of the nation, formulating a comprehensive and specialized environmental law, increasing the guarantee of deterrent enforcement, strengthening public participation and popular institutions, and effectively implementing general environmental policies can provide the basis for achieving sustainable development and protecting the rights of current and future generations. Also, utilizing the capacity of environmental diplomacy in interaction with regional countries will play an important role in managing common environmental challenges and promoting environmental security. In sum, achieving sustainable development requires a transition from general and scattered approaches to specialized, coordinated, and problem-oriented policymaking in the field of the environment; an approach that, while guaranteeing the rights of citizens, also provides the basis for effective protection of the country's natural capital.
Keywords

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