the right to a healthy environment at the constitutional level, placing Italy among those countries that have chosen to elevate environmental protection to the status of a fundamental principle of the legal system. The inclusion of these principles in the Constitution is not only symbolic, but has concrete legal effects, binding the ordinary legislator and providing interpretative parameters for judicial activity in environmental matters. Building on the recognition of the right to a healthy environment at both the European and national levels—especially through the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and Italy’s recent constitutional reforms—it becomes clear that modern environmental law is deeply rooted in the European legal tradition. We are undergoing a profound transformation of our economic model. The traditional “take-make-dispose” approach is no longer viable in the face of ecological limits and social demands. It is being replaced by the circular economy—a system based on reuse, recycling, and waste reduction—which has become not just a policy choice, but a structural necessity52. In this evolving context, we can speak of the emergence of a new economic constitution: a renewed social pact in which sustainability and intergenerational justice are elevated to guiding principles of economic activity. This is the foundation of the green economy—an economic vision that is not only free and competitive, but also deeply responsible and aligned with long-term ecological balance. Laws and public policies must therefore take on a proactive role, steering economic behavior toward sustainability by rewarding environmentally sound practices, discouraging harmful ones, and channeling investment into clean and innovative technologies. In doing so, the legal system becomes a key driver of ecological transition, shaping a future where environmental integrity and economic progress are not in opposition, but deeply interconnected. VI. FINAL REMARKS The recognition of the right to a healthy environment as a universal human right marks a transformative development in contemporary legal frameworks. This evolution has produced profound systemic effects across international, constitutional, and administrative law. Judicial decisions such as Urgenda, KlimaSeniorinnen, and the ruling of the German Constitutional Court have been 52 E. Blasizza (ed.), Ambiente 2025, IPSOA HSE Manuals, Milan, 2025, pp. 163 ff. 141 THE RIGHT TO A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT AS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT
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