Anita Boros, Gyula Koi (eds): Sustainability and Law
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6. Case study: Sustainability across the law in Hungary (László Vértesy)
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6.2. The Interpretation of Sustainability in the Hungarian Legal Framework
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6.2.3. Environment, Agriculture

6.2.3. Environment, Agriculture

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The Act LIII of 1995 on the general rules for environmental protection provides a comprehensive legal framework for environmental protection, highlighting the importance of sustainable development.1 The primary objective of the Act is to establish a harmonious relationship between people and their environment, and to ensure a high level of coordinated protection of the environment as a whole and its elements. The promotion of sustainable development is at the heart of this objective, which also ensures the preservation of natural values and the sustainability of environmental processes for future generations.2 The Act defines the concept of best available technology: a method, operating procedure, equipment that meets the criteria of being state of the art and ensures sustainable development, which is used to prevent and – if this is not feasible – reduce emissions and environmental loads, and to mitigate the impact on the environment as a whole, and which serves as the basis for establishing the limit value or extent of emissions. These technologies allow for the prevention or reduction of environmental pollution and contribute to the setting of emission limits. Furthermore, the law defines the concept of sustainable development as a system of socio-economic relations and activities that preserves natural values for present and future generations, uses natural resources economically and purposefully, and ensures the improvement of the quality of life and the preservation of diversity in the long term from an ecological perspective. Act LIII of 1996 on Nature Protection provides a comprehensive framework for the protection of natural values and areas, with particular regard to the conservation of biodiversity and ensuring sustainable use.3 The aim of the Act is to protect natural systems and landscapes, and to promote their knowledge and sustainable use.4 In addition, the Act emphasises meeting society’s demand for a healthy and aesthetic environment, as well as preserving the traditions of nature conservation, further developing its achievements, and the special protection, conservation, maintenance and development of natural values and areas. The Act defines the concept of sustainable utilisation, which aims to ensure that natural resources and values are used at a rate and in a manner that does not exceed their renewable capacity. This avoids the loss of biodiversity, ensuring the livelihoods of present and future generations. A key element of sustainable use is to rely on natural resources in a way that ensures their long-term sustainability.

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Among other sectoral regulations, it should be highlighted that Act LXXXVII of 2010 on the National Land Fund specifically aims to support the conditions for sustainable forest management (Sec. 1), while land tenure policy guidelines focus on supporting environmentally friendly and sustainable farming (Sec. 15).5 Act CXXII of 2013 on the transfer of agricultural and forestry land emphasises the prioritisation of the conditions for sustainable land use, taking into account the natural conditions of production, such as soil, water and habitat communities.6 Act CXIII of 2019 on irrigation farming also emphasises the establishment and operation of sustainable water management communities.7 The aim of this act is for farmers to form a community and use water resources efficiently in the interests of sustainable water management.8 A sustainable water management community may be recognised as a business association or cooperative that meets the conditions and in which at least 75 % of the members are agricultural producers with the right to use a plot of land located in the irrigation district (Sec. 7). The sustainable water management community ensures the possibility of irrigating (i) at least 100 hectares in the case of arable crop production and industrial vegetable production – of which up to 10% may be permanent grassland (grazed, mowed) – and (ii) at least 10 hectares in the case of horticultural vegetables and plantations (fruit, grapes), and aromatic, medicinal and spice plants in the area of ​​the irrigation district. Act XLVI of 2008 on the Food Chain and its Official Supervision aims at sustainable crop production and the sustainable use of pesticides, thereby ensuring environmentally friendly farming.9

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Act XXXVII of 2009 on forests and forestry provides for the conditions for sustainable forest management, ensuring the protection and growth of forests as habitats.10 Act LV of 1996 on the protection of wild animals and game management aims to preserve the natural state of huntable animal species with the maximum sustainable population of game (Sec. 27/D), and protect their habitats for a sustainable and professional wildlife management and protection (Sec. 90).11 Act LVII of 1995 on water management ensures the sustainable use of water resources and sets the task of protecting water resources so that they are preserved for future generations.12 Decree No. 71/2020. (XII. 29.) of the Minister of Agriculture on the extension of the market organisation measure on the inter-professional research incentive programme aimed at the sustainable development of the biological bases of Hungarian wine grapes, in force at the National Council of Wine Communities.13

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The Protocol on Water and Health to the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, signed in Helsinki (1992) states that water is essential for the maintenance of life, and that water of sufficient quantity and quality to meet basic human needs is an indispensable condition for both the preservation of health and sustainable development, and the sustainable influence of the water cycle is of fundamental importance for human needs as well as for environmental protection.14 The ecological potential is a biota expected to develop and be permanently sustainable in a heavily modified or artificial surface water body, and its condition that can be determined and classified based on a qualitative and quantitative comparison of a community of organisms typical of one or more similar natural or quasi-natural habitats.15 Also worth mentioning are Government Decree 74/2000. (V. 31.) on the promulgation of the Convention on cooperation for the protection and sustainable use of the Danube and Government Decree 196/2004. (VI. 21.) on the promulgation of the Convention on cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Hungary and the Government of Romania for the protection and sustainable use of transboundary waters.16 The Act CII of 2013 on Fish Management and Fish Protection maintain and protect the aquatic life and the natural environment of waters to sustainably utilise the fish stocks of natural aquatic ecosystems and to ensure the domestic supply of fish for food by developing fish production.17 Government Decree 306/2010. (XII. 23.) on Air Protection deals with the preservation of air quality, which is also in line with the requirements of sustainable development; and municipal-level sustainable mobility plans (abbr. SUMPs) are prepared to reduce emissions from vehicles.18
 
1 1995. évi LIII. törvény a környezet védelmének általános szabályairól https://njt.hu/jogszabaly/1995-53-00-00.98#CI
2

Lubarda, B. (2023). Far-right ecologism: environmental politics and the far right in Hungary and Poland. (London:Routledge). 152. eBook ISBN: 9781003306108 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003306108

Pál, V. (2023). Toward Socialist Environmentalism? Scientists and Environmental Change in Modern Hungary. Environment and History, 29(2), 239-259.

3 1996. évi LIII. törvény a természet védelméről https://njt.hu/jogszabaly/1996-53-00-00
4 Kutasi, G. (2022). How Does Economics Approach Nature? Cognitive Sustainability, 1(2), 11-17.
5

2010. évi LXXXVII. törvény a Nemzeti Földalapról https://njt.hu/jogszabaly/2010-87-00-00.54#CI

Hoyk, E., Szalai, Á., Palkovics, A., & Farkas, J. Z. (2022). Policy gaps related to sustainability in Hungarian agribusiness development. Agronomy, 12(9), 2084.

6 2013. évi CXXII. törvény a mező- és erdőgazdasági földek forgalmáról https://njt.hu/jogszabaly/2013-122-00-00.30#CI
7 2019. évi CXIII. törvény az öntözéses gazdálkodásról https://njt.hu/jogszabaly/2019-113-00-00
8

Reich, T., Pálvölgyi, Gy. (2024) Global, European and Hungarian Water Policies. The 2024 Hungarian EU Presidency. (Budapest:Ludovika Egyetemi Kiadó). 317-331. ISBN: 9789636530624 ISBN: 9789636530617 ISBN: 9789636530631

Hanf, K., & Roijen, M. (1995). Water management networks in Hungary: network development in a period of transition. In: Bressers, H., O’Toole Jr., L., & Richardson, J. (eds.). Networks for Water Policy. A comparative perspective. (London:Routledge). 168-196.

9

2008. évi XLVI. törvény az élelmiszerláncról és hatósági felügyeletéről https://njt.hu/jogszabaly/2008-46-00-00

Helepciuc, F. E., & Todor, A. (2021). Evaluating the effectiveness of the EU’s approach to the sustainable use of pesticides. PloS One, 16(9), e0256719.

10 2009. évi XXXVII. törvény az erdőről, az erdő védelméről és az erdőgazdálkodásról https://net.jogtar.hu/jogszabaly?docid=a0900037.tv
11 1996. évi LV. törvény a vad védelméről, a vadgazdálkodásról, valamint a vadászatról https://net.jogtar.hu/jogszabaly?docid=99600055.tv
12 1995. évi LVII. törvény a vízgazdálkodásról https://njt.hu/jogszabaly/1995-57-00-00
13 71/2020. (XII. 29.) AM rendelet a Hegyközségek Nemzeti Tanácsánál hatályban lévő, a magyar borszőlő biológiai alapok fenntartható fejlesztését célzó szakmaközi kutatásösztönzési programról szóló piacszervezési intézkedés kiterjesztéséről
14

213/2005. (X. 5.) Korm. rendelet a határokat átlépő vízfolyások és nemzetközi tavak védelmére és használatára vonatkozó, Helsinkiben, 1992. március 17-én aláírt egyezményhez kapcsolódó Víz és Egészség Jegyzőkönyv kihirdetéséről (The Protocol entered into force for the Republic of Hungary on 4 August 2005.) https://net.jogtar.hu/jogszabaly?docid=a0500213.kor

Baranyai, G. (2020). European water law and hydropolitics. An Inquiry into the Resilience of Transboundary Water Governance in the European Union. (Cham:Springer International Publishing). xvii, 186. Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-22540-7 Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-22543-8 eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-22541-4 Series ISSN: 2365-4961 Series e-ISSN: 2365-497X DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22541-4

15 221/2004. (VII. 21.) Korm. rendelet a vízgyűjtő-gazdálkodás egyes szabályairól https://njt.hu/jogszabaly/2004-221-20-22
16

74/2000. (V. 31.) Korm. rendelet a Duna védelmére és fenntartható használatára irányuló együttműködésről szóló, 1994. június 29-én, Szófiában létrehozott Egyezmény kihirdetéséről https://net.jogtar.hu/jogszabaly?docid=a0000074.kor

Zwęgliński, T., & Balatonyi, L. (2021). Impact of climate change on Hungarian Water Management Strategy as a case study for other European countries. Zeszyty Naukowe SGSP/Szkoła Główna Służby Pożarniczej, 2(78), 127-150.

196/2004. (VI. 21.) Korm. rendelet a Magyar Köztársaság Kormánya és Románia Kormánya között a határvizek védelme és fenntartható hasznosítása céljából folytatandó együttműködésről szóló Egyezmény kihirdetéséről https://net.jogtar.hu/jogszabaly?docid=a0400196.kor

17 2013. évi CII. törvény a halgazdálkodásról és a hal védelméről https://njt.hu/jogszabaly/2013-102-00-00.27#CI
18 306/2010. (XII. 23.) Korm. rendelet a levegő védelméről https://njt.hu/jogszabaly/2010-306-20-22
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