Restrictions on the use of agricultural land in Ukraine for the protection of water resources

Abstract

Motives: The value of water resources has increased in the 21st century due to global climate change, population growth, and the demand for water in agriculture, industry, and other sectors of the economy. However, increasing demand leads to a deterioration in the quality of water, including drinking water, and it affects the environmental sustainability of water resources and coastal lands. Agriculture plays a major role in water pollution in Ukraine and in other European countries. Therefore, it is important to address the topic of restrictions on the use of agricultural land to reduce the polluting effect.Aim: The main aim of the study was to examine regulations on the use of agricultural land in Ukraine for the protection of water resources, and the process of imposing water protection restrictions on the use of agricultural land, taking into account the requirements of the Sustainable Development Goals and the prospects for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.Results: The theoretical principles for establishing the boundaries of water protection zones and coastal protection belts around water bodies were analyzed. The legal framework regulating restrictions on the use of agricultural land in Ukraine was examined, with particular emphasis on the establishment of water protection zones. It was found that the provisions of the Land and Water Codes of Ukraine regulate the size of water protection zones and coastal protection belts. Water bodies are regime-forming objects, and they are systematized according to the requirements for establishing the boundaries of coastal protection belts. The indicators measuring the access to drinking water, as part of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in Ukraine, were analyzed. The study revealed that in Ukraine, regardless of the current legislative regulations relating to the restrictions on the use of agricultural land, which provide for the protection of water bodies from pollution and clogging and the preservation of water resources, there is a need to establish the boundaries of water protection zones and coastal protection belts.