Introduction: Environmental law derives a large part of its foundations, rules, and mechanisms from environmental sciences, especially ecology. In the past fifty years, the scientific principles and findings of ecology have been able to influence on the foundations and mechanisms of environmental law more than other environmental sciences which paves the way for its evolution towards modern environmental law. Despite the history of using ecological findings in the adoption of laws and regulations, the interaction of these two scientific branches has been less studied, and the way in which this knowledge affects environmental law has not been studied in the Iranian scientific community. However, examining the way in which ecology affects environmental law recognizes the main origin of this legal branch and the future path of its development. The purpose of this study is to trace the ecological origins of environmental law and the process of evolution of approaches to these laws in legislation.
Materials and Methods: This study, using a descriptive-analytical and legal genetic-systematic method, aims to understand how ecology affects the development of environmental law. It examines how ecosystemic and holistic approaches in ecology have changed the foundations and mechanisms of environmental law, what is the perspective of the scientific relationship between these two scientific branches, and how the lack of scientific certainty can prevent the use of ecological findings in environmental law. This theoretical study examines the concepts and methods of ecosystem analysis that have been used in the literature of environmental law and environmental documents, and how they affect the process of environmental law development.
Results: In the early years of its development, environmental law relied on the basis of piecemeal protection of the environment. However, based on the findings of ecology on the health and functioning of ecosystems and its holistic approaches, it has shifted from fragmented and piecemeal protection of the environment to integrated protection of ecosystems and their functional relationships. Also, the findings of ecology as an empirical science, perhaps even more than the ethical, philosophical, social and economic foundations, can play a significant role in creating and strengthening the foundations and mechanisms of environmental law as a normative interdisciplinary science. The use of these scientific achievements and analytical methods in ecology oriented environmental law towards prioritizing the integrated protection of ecosystems and their intrinsic value and mutual relationships, a development that can be considered part of the process of modernization of environmental law and the movement towards ecological law. Ecological law considers the environment to be a set of interconnected ecosystems, the protection of which is not possible except by creating diverse and cross-sectoral mechanisms and preserving their integrity and ecological function.
Discussion: Based on the results obtained, the use of the findings and analytical methods of ecology in environmental law can contribute to the greater accuracy and precision of environmental laws and regulations. Of course, ambiguities and scientific uncertainty in ecology can cause a negative impact on environmental laws, but environmental law has partially overcome this challenge by adopting the precautionary principle. Therefore, in order to strengthen the application of ecological findings in environmental law and improve the quality of environmental laws, it is necessary to strengthen mutual scientific education and research in this field and facilitate the consultative participation of ecologists in decision-making and implementation processes.