LEGAL REGULATION OF THE PROTECTION OF RARE AND ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD ANIMALS IN THE LIGHT OF THE “ECOLOGICAL CIVILIZATION” CONCEPT: CHINA’S EXPERIENCE AND PATHWAYS FOR ITS RECEPTION IN UZBEKISTAN

Abstract

This article explores the imperative need to enhance the legal protection of biodiversity in the Republic of Uzbekistan through a comparative analysis of international environmental law. Specifically, the study examines the innovative “Ecological Conservation Redline” (ECR) system integrated into the national legal system of the People's Republic of China to counter large-scale ecosystem degradation. The research highlights the vulnerabilities of Uzbekistan's traditional Specially Protected Natural Areas (SPNAs), which cannot always guarantee absolute protection against "creeping" economic exploitation. Consequently, the paper proposes the conceptual introduction of a new legal category, “Zones of Absolute Ecological Tranquility (Ecological Red Lines)”, into domestic environmental law. Focusing on ecological disaster zones such as the Aral Sea region, the author recommends establishing strict statutory prohibitions on economic activities within these red lines. This legislative reform aims to transition conservation approaches from situational management to robust territorial guarantees provided by the state to protect relic populations of rare animal species.