The concept of the Anthropocene and its impact on Russian legal doctrine and environmental legislation

The concept of anthropocene, which refers to a new geological epoch characterized by significant human impact of Earth’s ecosystems, represents much more than a new understanding of the environment as a complex, dynamic set of Earth's ecosystems. It calls for a fundamental change in how legal science and practice conceptualize the relationship between humans and nature. The antropoce demands a shift in the category of man and their relationship with living and inanimate natural elements, which have been little studied in modern legal science. As a result, the concept of anthropocene acts as a catalyst for legal transformation, pushing it beyond traditional approaches towards the development of a global legal system adequate to the planetary scale of current evological challenges. For environmental law, anthropocene imposes a scientifically grounded imperative: legislation must acknowledge that human activity can destroy the foundations of life on Earth. Principles like harm prevention and sustainability should become central norms at municipal, national, and international levels. It also stimulates innovation in legal categories such as ecocide, nature rights, climate refugees and fosters hybrid legal regimes, for instance, integrating environmental law with energy law to decarbonize the economy. Recognizing antropocene enables countries like Russia to participate actively in shaping international ecological rules and to contribute scientifically and practically. An internal policy informed by anthropocene factors can also shift from reactive responses to proactive prevention of systemic climate and socio-ecological crises.