Changing Roles of Hungarian Local Governments in Light of the Challenges of Sustainable Development

Abstract

Among the causes of today's environmental problems, the disintegration of traditional communities and alienation from nature and ourselves are often mentioned. Local communities could play an outstanding role in protecting their own environment. The local governments in Hungary are forced to face more and more sustainability challenges, which they have limited powers and resources to overcome. During my previous research (2015–2019), I tried to provide an overview of this local dimension of environmental law and policy, but since then many changes have taken place in the central regulation. The 5th National Environmental Protection Program adopted in December 2022 confronts municipalities with a significant number of tasks, along with old, unresolved problems as well as new ones. The country's highest judicial forum, the Kúria made new decisions on relevant local government decrees, which should make us think. The study aims to provide an insight into these recent developments, taking into account the findings contained in the encyclical Laudato Si, which speaks specifically about local governments, local communities, and local regulations.