Legal protection of Lake Baikal from microplastics

The annual increase in microplastic pollution of Lake Baikal is a new environmental threat to a unique freshwater ecological system that requires a set of interrelated general (applies to the entire territory of Russia) and special (applies to the Baikal natural territory or its individual parts) legal measures. The forthcoming international and interstate decisions to reduce plastic and microplastic pollution, which will have an impact on the domestic regulation of environmental protection, including the protection of the ecosystems of the Baikal natural territory, are considered. In a systemic relationship, the existing, expected and recommended legal measures for the protection of Lake Baikal from primary and secondary microplastics are shown on the basis of foreign legislation. The consolidation in the Russian legislation of the missing general and special legal measures for the protection of Lake Baikal in relation to pollution with both primary and secondary microplastics is substantiated. It is proposed to create a special council that would coordinate the protective measures taken against microplastic pollution and other negative environmental impacts at the level of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, Mongolian aimags and their municipalities located within the entire catchment area of Lake Baikal.