An International Scientific and Practical Conference ‘Scientific and Legal Aspects of the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Forest and High-Mountain Ecosystems of the Ukrainian Carpathians’ took place

On May 12, 2026, the Kyiv University of Law of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine acted as a co-organizer of the International Scientific and Practical Conference Scientific and legal aspects of the conservation and sustainable use of forest and high-mountain ecosystems of the Ukrainian Carpathians, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of the professor Vasyl Ivanovych Komendar — an outstanding Ukrainian scientist, botanist, ecologist, and environmentalist.

The participation of the Kyiv University of Law of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in the event took place at the invitation of the Deputy Director of the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor Fedira Gamora, and became a continuation of the joint scientific activity of the parties within the framework of the Agreement on Scientific and Technical Cooperation between the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve and the Kyiv University of Law of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

The co-organizers of the scientific event were the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, the Zakarpattia Regional Military Administration, the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve, Uzhhorod National University, and the Carpathian Ecology Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

During the conference, a moment of silence was held to honor the memory of Professor Vasyl Ivanovych Komendar.

The conference brought together leading scientists, ecologists, lawyers, representatives of government authorities, environmental protection institutions, and the educational sector to discuss current issues of environmental protection, biodiversity conservation, and the improvement of legal mechanisms for the sustainable use of natural resources in the Ukrainian Carpathians.

With a welcoming speech to the conference participants, the rector of the Kyiv University of Law of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, professor, Honored Lawyer of Ukraine, addressed them Yuriy BoshytskyiIn his speech, the rector emphasized the special significance of the Ukrainian Carpathians as a unique natural ecosystem, which has not only ecological but also strategic, social, and cultural value for the state.

During the report on the topic “Some aspects of improving Ukrainian legislation on the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in the Ukrainian Carpathians” Yuriy Boshytsky emphasized the need for further development of national environmental legislation in accordance with European standards and Ukraine’s international nature protection obligations. It was noted that modern challenges related to climate change, illegal logging, degradation of natural areas, and violation of the ecological balance require comprehensive legal response, strengthening of state control, improvement of environmental monitoring, and effective interaction between state and scientific institutions.

Within the framework of the conference, thorough scientific reports were presented by representatives of the teaching staff of the Kyiv University of Law of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the Rivne Institute of the Kyiv University of Law of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, which demonstrated a high level of interuniversity scientific dialogue and a joint interest in addressing current ecological and legal issues.

In particular, the following were presented scientific reports:

• Ph.D., Associate Professor of the Department of Criminal Law and Procedure at KUL NASU Mykola Maliya — ‘Strategy for Achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals in the Conservation of the Ecosystems of the Ukrainian Carpathians and Ensuring Ukraine’s Environmental Security’;
• Doctor of Philological Sciences, Head of the Department of Special Legal Disciplines, RIKUL NASU Vladyslav Syvytskyi — ‘Legal Aspects of Ensuring Environmental Safety Against the Backdrop of the Russian-Ukrainian War’;
• Doctor of Juridical Science, professor, professor of the Department of International Law and Sectoral Legal Disciplines, KUL NASU Dmytro Bezubov — ‘The problem of environmental security in the aspect of cross-border cooperation’;
• Doctor of Juridical Science, professor, professor of the Department of International Law and Sectoral Legal Disciplines, KUL NASU Alla Kovalchuk — “Comprehensive criminological study of illegal logging in Ukraine (2025–2026)”;
• PhD, associate professor, associate professor of the Department of General Theoretical Legal and Socio-Humanitarian Disciplines at KUL NASU Viktoria Pylypenko — «The ecological function of the state in the field of protection of the ecosystems of the Ukrainian Carpathians: constitutional-legal and historical discourse»;
• PhD in Law, Associate Professor of the Department of International Law and Branch Legal Disciplines, KUL NASU Ivana Vashchyntsia — ‘On the improvement of private law regulation in the field of ensuring the sustainable use of forest ecosystems of the Ukrainian Carpathians.’

The conference participants noted the high scientific level of the presented research, its practical significance, and its importance for the formation of the country’s modern environmental and legal policy.

The West confirmed the significant role of the Kyiv University of Law of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine as an active participant in the international scientific space and one of the centers for the formation of modern legal thought in the field of environmental safety and sustainable development.

Press Center KUL NASU