The life and scientific way of Oleg Stepanovich Kolbasov — the outstanding scholar of the 20th century

Abstract

The article describes crucial milestones on the scientific pathway of the outstanding Soviet and Russian legal scholar Oleg Stepanovich Kolbasov (1927–2000), Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Law, Professor, Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, founder of his own scientific school, famous theorist in the field of water, land, mining, forestry, environmental law. The authors describe his contribution to the legal science, highlight his leading role in the development of the conceptual foundations of modern Russian environmental law and his recognized authority in the field of international environmental law. In addition to scientific merits, the authors note practical activities of O. S. Kolbasov at the Institute of State and Law of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as well as his contribution to legislative process as a deputy minister of environmental protection and natural resources of the Russian Federation, a member of the International Ecological Court. Particular attention is paid to the well-known episode of a brilliant defence by Professor O. S. Kolbasov of the position of the State Duma before the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation in the dispute over the constitutionality of certain provisions of the Forest Code of the Russian Federation. Due to this the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation adopted a resolution, according to which the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which envisages different forms of ownership in respect of natural resources, does not, however, necessarily require multiformity of ownership in respect of the forest fund. 

Keywords:

Oleg Stepanovich Kolbasov, Russian environmental law, international environmental law, the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, the Forest Code of the Russian Federation