Normative content of the concept of "environmental information" and the specifics of legal regulation of access to it

The article examines the complexities associated with the exercise of citizens right to access reliable data on the state of the environment, which constitutes the concept of environmental information. An analysis of the regulatory framework shows that, despite the active development of by-laws detailing the procedure and content of the information provided, a number of gaps remain in this area. Currently, citizens only have access to a limited amount of environmental information. In our view, the key problem remains the lack of a clear definition of the scope of the term "environmental information." This concept applies both to information published by state executive bodies on official sources and to information about the activities of legal entities and individual entrepreneurs that have a negative environmental impact. This undermines the constitutional norm on the universal availability of reliable information about the state of the environment. Furthermore, in practice, access to important data, such as environmental forecasts, information on current and planned impacts of economic activities, as well as on environmental protection measures, is not fully ensured. All these types of information, according to Federal Law № 7-FZ "On Environmental Protection," require specific regulatory mechanisms governing their collection, processing, and public disclosure.