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This paper is devoted to the resolution of the problem of risk management in a high-risk market environment. The goal of this paper was to study the experience of and prospects for the use of responsible innovations as tools for managing the financial risks of high-tech companies' projects for their sustainable development (using the example of companies in Russia's IT sphere in 2022–2023). We used the SEM method to study the daily statistics of the Moscow Exchange in 2022–2023. As a result, we quantitatively measured the financial risks of Russian companies in the IT sphere in 2022–2023. The studied case experience of the IT sphere in 2022 confirmed that Russian high-tech companies actively implement responsible innovations based on ESG projects. Our main conclusion is that the financial risks of high-tech companies are reduced in the case of the implementation of responsible innovations. Therefore, it is advisable to implement responsible innovations for the sustainable development of high-tech companies in a high-risk market environment. The theoretical significance of our conclusions lies in the substantiation of the synergetic effect of financial risk management with the help of responsible innovations. The scientific novelty and contribution of this paper to the literature consist in its clarifying the sectorial (in the IT sphere) and market (in a high-risk market environment) specifics of managing the financial risks to companies. We also disclosed a poorly studied and largely unknown unique and leading experience of managing the financial risks of Russian high-tech companies in 2022–2023. The practical significance of our recommendations is that the compiled scenario can be used as a strategic benchmark for the most complete development of the potential of the sustainable development of Russian high-tech companies in 2024. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goal: To perform monitoring of the modern experience of CSR (corporate social responsibility) manifestation in Russia and to differentiate and quantitatively measure the contribution of the support of SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) and responsible HRM (human resources management) to managing businesses' financial risks. For this, a sample of the 11 largest companies of one sphere—the extracting industry—which are included in the ranking of Global 2000 Forbes for 2020 are used. Based on the sample, the authors determine the level of the financial risks of Russian companies in the 2020–2021 period and the impact of CSR (in terms of its distinguished indicators) on it. The authors model and measure the contribution of CSR (in terms of its distinguished directions) to the reduction in the financial risks of Russian companies in 2020 and assess the perspective of the decrease in the financial risks of Russian companies for the 2022–2024 period based on CSR. The novelty of this paper lies in the development of a proprietary classification of the directions of CSR by the criterion of contribution to financial risk management. According to the proprietary classification, the following aspects are distinguished: (1) support of SDGs and (2) responsible HRM. The uniqueness and originality of this paper are due to the fact that for the first time the authors perform quantitative measuring of the contribution of CSR (in terms of the distinguished directions—each in isolation) to managing businesses' financial risks in developing countries based on the example of Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National innovation systems (NIS) are generally perceived as a set of interconnected organizations (or structures) that domestically produce and commercially implement scientific knowledge and technology. The development of any national innovation system is the key element for shaping up the scientific values in every country. Our paper identifies the trends in global innovation and technological scope associated with the formation of global economic relations, global investment, the flow of knowledge, technology, increased internationalization of R&D, and the formation of global innovation networks. In addition, it attempts to trace the relationship between instrumental values associated with the perception of science and technology and the development of NIS within the context of sustainable economic development using a case study from Russia. The paper carries out the analysis of values on the basis of the World Values Survey (WVS), as well as statistical indicators characterizing the development of the national innovation system. The obtained quantitative results stemming from our empirical model are further refined with the help of qualitative research, including the narrative economics approaches. Our results might be beneficial for the stakeholders and policymakers working with innovation policies and approaches in business, economics, and education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our paper focuses on the role of e-government in relation to economic development within the post-COVID era. Nowadays, e-government represents the service which utilizes digital technology to create electronic pathways to improve the efficiency of public services, increase economic prosperity, and improve the standard of living. In this paper, we argue that e-government presents the only proper and viable model for public administration in the 21st century by embedding internet-based technologies to ensure smooth interactions between the government and its citizens, solving the most socially important problems, enabling internal communication between public servants, and delivering public services to the entire population regardless of age or gender. In addition, we show that stakeholders and policymakers should foster the development of an adequate and non-discriminatory environment for e-government through regulatory frameworks, policy guidelines, and government guarantees. Our study is based on the results of our own survey that was administered using a snowball and quasi-random sample of 400 respondents (aged 19–26 years; 56.2% females and 43.8% males) from the Czech Republic (N = 136) and the Russian Federation (N = 264), of whom 58% were women and 42% were men (M ± SD = 45.53 ± 11.46, median age 44). Our results show that the e-government enhancement concept has been perceived as an effective tool for fostering economic prosperity, tackling corruption, and helping to avoid uncertainty. Based on the theories of customer-focus and relationship marketing, this study suggests that the most significant factor influencing the success of e-government projects is citizen orientation, followed by channel and channel orientation, and technology orientation. We show that the governments of developing countries should prioritize e-government applications in their requests for international assistance and cooperation, as well as international financial support. Moreover, we argue that digital transformation should become the key element of the changing business and market needs in the post-COVID era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the authors' methodology of a risk-oriented approach to assessing the performance of territorial bodies of the Federal Treasury of the Russian Federation. The proposed methodology consists in the application of adjustment coefficients, which account for the quality of the execution of budgetary powers and the growth rate of the gross regional product of the corresponding territory. The goal of the study is to develop a risk-oriented methodology for assessing the contribution of the territorial bodies of the Federal Treasury to the United Nations sustainable development goals and national goals. The current study employs systemic, process based, risk-oriented approaches, statistical data analysis, and mathematical research methods. The gross regional product for the subjects of the Russian Federation is calculated for 2018–2019. Based on an analysis of Russian and foreign research on modern controlling systems and in accordance with the current concept of controlling, an attempt is made to develop a methodology for assessing the performance of the Federal Treasury and its territorial bodies. The main conclusion of the study is that the most expedient approach to assessing the efficiency of territorial bodies of the Federal Treasury is through the balanced scorecard system built in accordance with the strategic goals of the Federal Treasury, the national goals of the Russian Federation, and the UN SDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the post-pandemic social and economic conditions, the proper assessment of the effectiveness of regional innovation systems (RISs) becomes a key endeavor. In our paper, we highlight the necessity to enhance the set of indicators used to evaluate the performance of regional innovation systems in countries with varying innovation capabilities. Specifically, we concentrate on examining case studies from the United States, Japan, China, and the Czech Republic, comparing their experiences with the current situation to innovations and innovation systems in Russia and drawing lessons for this country. Utilizing the Global Innovation Index (GII) rankings, we conduct an analysis of the characteristics of innovative progress and propose specific groups of indicators that can enhance the effectiveness of evaluating the innovative advancement of different regions. Moreover, we determine the need for uniqueness, flexibility, and adaptability of these based on the state's strategic guidelines in the field of innovation and the innovative potential of the territory as well as the factors of external and internal influence. In addition, we conduct and present the results of the bibliometric network analysis of the research publications retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS) database using VOSViewer software and covering the role of regional innovation systems (RISs) in shaping up the national innovation systems (NISs) both in general terms and specifically applied to the case of Russia. Our results might be relevant for the stakeholders and policymakers who are engaged in promoting innovation, regional development, and sustainable economic growth, as well as for the academics working on the topics of innovation and economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to identify the most significant motivations for Russian companies to make green investments. This article presents a multiple regression model based on panel data, designed to assess the impact of various factors on green investments made by Russian companies. To create this model, the authors used annual data for 83 regions of the Russian Federation for the period from 2011 to 2020. According to calculations made in this paper, the growth of green investments in the economy is due to the inflow of foreign direct investment, the increase in the collection of fees for negative impact on the environment, the increase in the production of extractive products and the growth of CO2 emissions. At the same time, the total volume of investments is not affected by indicators assessing the environmental factor, but is affected by the inflow of foreign direct investments and the level of business concentration. The obtained results mean that the main motivators that encourage Russian companies to make green investments today are the opinion of foreign investors, global decisions to reduce greenhouse gases and the partial tightening of national environmental legislation. This indicates that the degree of a companies' integration into the global economy is of great importance for its propensity to make green investments in Russia. Therefore, special approaches are needed from the state in order to create incentives for green modernization of the national economy. This study expands our understanding of the role that green investments can play in the economy and the motivation for companies to make them, thus contributing to the existing literature on this subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of globalized processes, the importance of the sustainable development concept in solving the problems of local tourism systems development is growing. Unprecedented challenges caused by the COVID-19 crisis in the tourism sector, on the one hand, questioned the possibility of fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the goals of sustainable tourism. On the other hand, they emphasized the need for balance between three pillars of sustainability, both as an urgency tool to cope with the pandemic crisis and as a solid basis for long-term development in the post-pandemic period. The study presented in the paper discusses sustainability issues in rural tourism as one of the most promising sectors for the development of domestic tourism on the example of the Russian tourism industry. The overall goal of the study initiated in the pre-pandemic period is to find ways to support sustainable rural tourism in Russian regions and to develop indicators for monitoring the effectiveness of local strategic development programs, taking into account national and regional specifics. This paper discusses intermediate results obtained with the adjustment for pandemic challenges. The authors combined a number of methods and techniques, namely desk research, statistical analysis, and analysis of empirical data obtained by means of in-depth interviews, as well as a survey using a formal questionnaire. The results confirm that Russian enterprises and local communities considered the three pillars of sustainability as important to develop tourism in rural destinations both in the pre-pandemic period and in times of challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, the findings show weaknesses in the federal and local policy, including the lack of systemic measures to improve the sustainable management of Russian tourism destinations. From the authors' point of view, it makes sense to adapt the European tourism indicator system for sustainable destinations (ETIS) for local peculiarities. ETIS is a useful tool to boost the sustainable development of rural destinations by encouraging stakeholder engagement and monitoring processes. In the case of Russia, one needs to add indicators for monitoring the effectiveness of the implementation of strategic development programs in the field of tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we assess sentiment and emotion regarding green energy through employing a social listening analysis on Twitter. Knowing the sentiment and attitude of the population is important because it will help to promote policies and actions that favor the development of green or renewable energies. We chose to study a crucial period that coincides with the onset of the 2022 Ukrainian–Russo conflict, which has undoubtedly affected global energy policies worldwide. We searched for messages containing the term "green energy" during the days before and after the conflict started. We then performed a semantic analysis of the most frequent words, a comparative analysis of sentiments and emotions in both periods, a dimensionality reduction analysis, and an analysis of the variance of tweets versus retweets. The results of the analysis show that the conflict has changed society's sentiments about an energy transition to green energy. In addition, we found that negative feelings and emotions emerged in green energy tweeters once the conflict started. However, the emotion of confidence also increased as the conflict, intimately linked to energy, has driven all countries to promote a rapid transition to greener energy sources. Finally, we observed that of the two latent variables identified for social opinion, one of them, pessimism, was maintained while the other, optimism, was subdivided into optimism and expectation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the digital era, technology innovation and adoption trigger economic growth and enhance CO 2 emissions through productivity, which places it in the mainstream policy debate. For BRICS economies, this paper uses the first method proposed in the literature to quantify their information and communication technology (ICT) and innovatively links each country to their information technology adoption rate, as a surrogate indicator for measuring information and communication technology. Environmental Kuznets curve evidence is also examined, using technology innovation, technology adoption, and trade openness as the control variables for sustainable development. The results show that two out of three technology innovation instruments, fixed telephone, and broadband subscriptions increase CO 2 emissions. Simultaneously, mobile cellular subscriptions have a lowering effect on CO 2 emission in BRICS. The technology adoption indicators, high-technology exports, and electric power consumption also cause an upsurge in CO 2 emission. Moreover, trade openness also enriches the level of CO 2 emission in the BRICS regions. There is a need to devise technology innovation and adoption policies to better use technology and to ensure a green environment.

This paper focuses on the problem of the high financial risks of agricultural entrepreneurship, which hinder the sustainable development of agriculture and do not provide food security. This problem is especially topical in the conditions of the COVID-19 crisis when financial risks are urgent. The research basis is the theory of financial risks of entrepreneurship. This paper's RQ is as follows: how should financial risks for the sustainable development of agriculture be managed for the provision of food security? The purpose of this paper is to find ways of managing the financial risks of agricultural entrepreneurship based on its corporate social responsibility for sustainable development and the provision of food security. The contribution to the literature is that the authors offer a solution to the problem of the financial risks of agricultural entrepreneurship. The originality of this paper is that the solution is corporate social responsibility. The universal character of the paper is due to the description of the international experience of corporate social responsibility and proving the contribution of this responsibility for the sustainable development of agriculture and food security as well as its demonstration—based on the case experience of modern Russia of specific, effective, and perspective practices of corporate social responsibility that make a significant contribution to the sustainable development of agriculture and food security. The results are very important for decision making in managing the financial risks of agricultural entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our world is evolving at an incredibly enormous speed and what was impossible three years ago is now a reality. The concept of leadership and leaders has also undergone profound transformations. Moreover, the recent COVID-19 pandemic caused a digital surge in the ways economic life, business, or education are perceived or conducted. The pandemic proved that small and large businesses, industries, and the whole economies can be suddenly upended by massive technological shifts. Hence, there is a need for a theoretical research update in leadership in business and economics that would bring new insights into this topic and define its place within the context of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our paper presents the novel insights for the leaders and the leadership concept in business and economics from various approaches and angles of view in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic with a focus on sustainable leadership and organizational resilience. It aims at outlying the theoretical background of leadership in business and economics after the pandemic and bringing up interesting and recent leadership case studies from all around of the world. Moreover, this paper aims as sharing the valuable insights into what it means to be a sustainable leader in business and economics, why leaders are needed, and how to become one. The main criteria of this research and its instrumentation include both the theoretical discussion based on the literature review and analysis and the empirical analysis that supports these theoretical provisions. The paper features an empirical model that assesses how business and economic leaders are searching for new ways of work and personal development during and after the COVID-19 pandemic using the own data from the 400 respondents collected in the Czech Republic and Russia. We found that the pandemic enhanced the emotional creativity of business and economic leaders and made them to invest and engage more into using new digital technologies and fundamentally altering the old ways of managing and governing their respective companies and institutions. Our results might provide valuable food for thought both for academics working on various angles of leadership, as well as for entrepreneurs and businesspeople who want to receive recent updates on the topic of leadership to use them in their daily work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploitation of oil and gas resources in the Arctic offshore is one of Russia's key priorities in such areas as science, economy, and technology. Global trends, harsh climate conditions, fragile ecosystems, conditions of the pandemic and post-pandemic periods, price volatility, and the growing importance of the environmental factor require that the process of developing the Arctic's hydrocarbon resources should become strategically sustainable. The paper provides a deep literature review on sustainability issues, sustainable development, strategic sustainability, and project efficiency in the Arctic offshore oil and gas sector. The paper analyzes the trends and conditions that substantiate the need to transform the traditional sustainability concept to meet new challenges and comply with new policies. Based on the analysis, the authors propose a definition of and a conceptual framework for strategic sustainability of oil and gas offshore projects in the Arctic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the ways to resolve the "green energy-economic development" dilemma, in which the coal industry is situated, is by the improvement of technologies and the integrated use of extracted resources, including methane gas as a clean energy source. Using the example of the Kirova mine, located in Kuznetsk coal basin—one of the ecologically unfavorable coal mining regions of Russia—this article discusses an integrated technology for the extraction of coalbed methane (ECBM), which makes it possible to reduce greenhouse gas (methane) emissions and improve the safety and intensity of coal mining. The Kirova mine, with its 3 Mt production in 2019, is one of the coal mining leaders in Russia. The available mining equipment has the potential to significantly increase the output; however, gas is a limiting factor to this. The customary approaches to coal seam degassing have already been petered out. The miners and mine science are facing a challenge to validate and test an alternative technology to ensure effective in-seam gas drainage prior to vigorous mining. This article gives an account of the improvement track record of the in-seam gas drainage technology used to pre-treat coal seams for intensive and safe extraction. This technology suggests, at the first stage, hydraulic loosening of the target coal seam through wells drilled from the surface (SSHL), then hydraulic fracturing (HF) of the coal seam through the boreholes drilled from underground development headings, followed by methane extraction from the high-permeability coal-gas reservoir created through standard in-seam gas drainage underground wells. Results are presented in this paper of field testing of the improved SSHL technique. Findings are presented on the effective parameters of the HF technology. Methodological recommendations are offered for selecting viable in-seam gas drainage technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The regional development path depends on managing innovation resources. However, increasing the quantity of innovation activity and managing innovation resources only by financial indicators does not guarantee progress in sustainable development. This paper argues that basic conditions for effective sustainability-oriented innovation activities are: (1) the accordance of relevant activities with sustainable development ethics and (2) their marked focus on systemic and long-term sustainable development targets. These parameters can be considered fundamental principles for designing and developing effective sustainability-oriented innovation systems and innovation policies. Analysis of the two basic principles precedes estimation of the effectiveness of innovation activities, innovation systems, or innovation policies. In this paper, a special typological analysis technique was applied to assess basic conditions for the effectiveness of sustainability-oriented innovation activities observed in the case of the Tyumen region, Russia. It was found that since 2009 the Tyumen regional innovation support system has not been conceptually designed in accordance with sustainable development ethics or considering a long-term vision. Therefore, the projects themselves afford only temporary solutions to regional problems by implementing innovations that mainly have short-term and mid-term social–economic effects. As a result of the analysis of fundamental conditions for sustainability-oriented innovation activities in Tyumen region, this paper proposes recommendations on necessary measures for redesigning decision-making principles of regional innovation support systems in order to significantly increase the potential impact on the development of a truly sustainable regional economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the forecasts made by IEA, BP, and Total in early 2021, the demand for hydrocarbons will continue for decades, and their share in the global energy balance will remain significant. Russia, as a key player in the energy market, is interested in maintaining and increasing hydrocarbon production, so further exploitation of the Arctic energy resources is an urgent issue. A large number of onshore oil and gas projects have been successfully implemented in the Arctic since the 1930s, while recently, special attention has been paid to the offshore energy resources and implementation of natural gas liquefaction projects. However, the implementation of oil and gas projects in the Arctic is characterized by a negative impact on the environment, which leads to a violation of the ecological balance in the Arctic, and affects the stability of its ecosystem, which is one of the most vulnerable ecosystems on the planet. The main goal of the present study is to understand how the implementation of oil and gas projects in the Arctic affects the ecosystem, to assess the significance of this process, and to find out what the state and business could do to minimize it. In the article, the authors analyze energy trends, provide brief information about important oil and gas projects being implemented in the Arctic region of Russia, and investigate the challenges of the oil and gas projects' development and its negative impacts on the Arctic environment. The main contributions of this paper are the identification of all possible environmental risks and processes accompanying oil and gas production, and its qualitative analysis and recommendations for the state and business to reduce the negative impact of oil and gas projects on the Arctic ecosystem. The research methodology includes desk studies, risk management tools (such as risk analysis, registers, and maps), brainstorming, the expert method, systematization, comparative analysis, generalization, and grouping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development of the Arctic is the main priority of the state policy regarding regional development of the Russian Federation. The study of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation for the formation of principles, methods and strategies, as well as organizational and economic mechanisms for its sustainable development is topical at present. This article deals with one of the strategic decision-making tools used in the process of implementing the development program for the Russian Arctic, namely, the assessment of the technical and economic potential of the Arctic fields. The purpose of this assessment is to rank the fields according to the priority of their commissioning for a more optimal distribution of costs in the development of Arctic resources. This paper presents the results and methodology of technical and economic potential estimation in general, and the potential of the Arctic oil and gas fields in particular. An analysis of the conceptual apparatus in the field of the evaluation of various types of potential is carried out. The methodology for assessing the technical and economic potential of a field are investigated. The problems arising in the process of such an assessment are revealed. Recommendations for improving the methodology of assessing the technical and economic potential of oil and gas fields in the Arctic are given. The necessity of expanding the list of indicators for assessing the technical and economic potential of these fields, taking into account current trends, has been noted. A list of 10 technical and 26 economic indicators to assess the technical and economic potential of the development of offshore Arctic fields is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explored the problem of income inequality in Russia in the context of the sustainable development of Russia. The research starts from the historical analysis of income inequality dynamics in Russia. Then, we discussed the problem of the inconsistency of data, comparing different sources (official data from the Rosstat database and alternative data from the World inequality database). The purpose of this research was to assess Russian specifics of income inequality and answer the question of if the income inequality in Russia is excessively high and needs extra government regulation in order to reach the trajectory of advanced sustainable development. To this end, we made intercountry comparisons and used the method of building income inequality heatmaps basing on a dataset from the World Inequality Database. Our sample includes the per-adult equivalent of household market income distribution in 27 developed and developing countries and world regions. The result of the research was that there are many countries in the world wherein the differentiation of income exceeds Russia's. Russian income inequality is lower than the world average, but the structure of the Russian household income distribution stands out by an extreme concentration of national income in the hands of the top 1%. We supported our results via the independent data from the Credit Suisse wealth inequality report, connecting a record level of wealth inequality in Russia with its problem of top 1% income inequality. It is recommended to gradually increase marginal tax rates on the income and wealth of the top 1% and continue developing an effective progressive tax system in Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents study results of the region's sustainable development possibility, thus improving the population's life quality using cognitive simulation methods of complex systems. The main theoretical provisions of cognitive modeling developed and tested earlier in various socioeconomic system modeling are briefly outlined. The cognitive modeling application's mathematical apparatus and CMCS software No. 2018661506 system were developed using quantitative data from one of Russia's southern regions (Rostov oblast). The task was to study the region, model, understand, explain, and develop possible situation development scenarios, and foresee this complex system's possible future outcome. The main statistical socioeconomic indicators of the state region were studied and processed. Data analysis necessary for developing and researching a cognitive model is given. The regional economic mechanism cognitive model is a functional graph consisting of quantitative and qualitative concepts. Between them, relationships are given in the form of functions, which is the novelty of research. The results of several scenarios of impulse modeling are presented, making it possible to predict future desirable and undesirable processes in the system. Scenario analysis was carried out, making it possible to propose a number of recommendations for the region's sustainable development. A direction for the region's development of further cognitive research is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental problems of urban and rural areas are now high on the agenda of industrialized countries, becoming a key challenge for regional-level policymaking. The mutual influence of population growth, economic and technological development, and the anthropogenic pressure on the environment is still insufficiently studied in many countries, including Russia. In this paper, this relationship is studied for the municipalities of Angara–Yenisey Siberia using an ensemble of the STIRPAT-like regression models, adapted according to the available data. We found that population size and gross municipal product were positively associated with pollutant emissions (p < 0.01), while energy efficiency had no significant impact on air pollution. In addition to the poor national data quality and completeness issues, which can distort statistical conclusions, the cause of the observed lack of spatial correlation between energy efficiency and air pollutant emissions may be path dependence and an insufficient pace of transition to a greener economy. This leaves room for institutional transformations aimed at intensifying energy efficiency to reduce the environmental burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of the article is to find out the key factors of sustainable development of the Russian Arctic, which is strategically significant for Russia. The academic literature was reviewed to find out the time dynamics of the references to the economic models suitable for achieving the goals of sustainable development, and there has been hyperbolic growth in the attention paid to similar problems all around the world. The article compares three relatively new economic models in order to understand which of them is the most applicable to the promotion of sustainable development in the Russian Arctic: (a) bioeconomy, (b) green economy and (c) circular economy. The analysis of the relevant sources shows that the model of the circular economy is preferable for the Russian Arctic. Most of the article is dedicated to understanding the sources and mechanisms of the circular economy. The schematic description of vertical greenhouses and possibility of using vertical farms are presented in the paper as an example of organization of local food production according to the principles of the circular economy. The article considers a modeled project of creating a vertical farm in the Russian Arctic and a simulated indicator—profit of the vertical farm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this research is to assess the energy efficiency in Russia on its path towards the modernization of its energy systems. This modernization can be seen as an effective means for promoting decarbonization and energy-saving initiatives. Our methods include a comprehensive overview of the development of the energy sector in Russia, which is distinguished by the high concentration of state-owned enterprises, the absence of clear market mechanisms, as well as the domination of the fossil fuels represented by natural gas and oil. Furthermore, we present the perspectives of developing the renewable energy technologies in Russia. Our results enable us to create an in-depth analysis of the perspectives of modernization of the Russian energy sector and to draw the key connotations for its further development. Moreover, the outcomes of this paper can provide useful policy implications and guidelines for modernizing energy efficiency and energy systems for Russian stakeholders and policy makers, supporting their efforts to reduce the dependency on carbon fuels and to embark on the path towards the sustainable economic growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study mainly focuses on the development of the Arctic region and the difficulties it faces in the new situation. Finding a suitable development path for low-carbon environmental protection and sustainable development has gradually become the focus of attention in all countries. The secret contest of strength is also becoming increasingly fierce. The escalation of the arms race has virtually made the ambitious Russian Arctic plan more radical. This article will use the "ANP-SWOT" strategic analysis method to reveal the possible damage to the environment of the Arctic region and its unsustainable side behind Russia's grand development plan in the Arctic region. At the same time, it will list the views and contradictions of the countries in the region for the proposals on the resolution of conflicts, broaden the perspective to the global scope, take the common interests of all mankind as the starting point, combine the views and contradictions of all parties, and put forward proposals that are truly beneficial to the development of the Arctic region, thereby promoting inter-regional cooperation and developing a new Arctic strategy that prioritizes global progress and prosperity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy crisis that emerged as a result of the reduction in gas supplies from Russia is very topical and very important. This crisis affects not only Europe but also other world economies. As a result of Russia's attack on Ukraine and the sanctions imposed on Russia, there was a drastic drop in Russian gas supplies, which triggered an increase in fuel prices and an energy crisis. In order to reduce the risk of insufficient gas supplies, European countries have decided to reuse coal and fossil fuels. This is the opposite direction to decarbonization and a zero-carbon economy. The undertaken research is unique, because the issue of slowing down the direction of decarbonization and returning to fossil fuels has not yet been extensively studied. Therefore, the analysis and research results are new in this area. The European project of green energy production from renewable energy sources that has been implemented so far, which aims to accelerate the implementation of a zero-emission economy, may be slowed down. Moreover, the return to fossil fuels will have a negative impact on climate change. The sharp increase in energy prices and the unexpected growth in the profits of energy companies meant that the European Commission introduced a limit on the revenues of enterprises in the energy sector. Surplus income is to be transferred to other entities to offset the drastic increase in energy prices. The conducted analysis showed how the European Union will try to ensure energy security and what the current actions related to climate protection and moving toward an environmentally friendly economy will be. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many scholars have conducted in-depth studies on the research area of black soil conservation (BSC) and produced fruitful research results, but there is still a lack of scientific quantitative analysis and objective comprehensive evaluation of the research results. In order to grasp and clarify the current status of BSC research, we explored the trending topics and frontier issues in this research field, as well as the overall evolution trend from 1983 to 2022. Based on the publication information of BSC topics in the core database of Web of Science (WOS), this study utilized the superior tools in two major bibliometric software; they are the VOSviewer and CiteSpace to draw visual maps, such as collaboration networks and keyword co-occurrence maps, to further analyze the research progress and frontiers. The results are as follows: First, research on BSC began in 1983 and can be divided into three phases: the period of nascent research, steady development, and rapid growth. The subject increasingly became an area of research focus in academia, but gradually produced signs of intersection with other disciplines, such as agronomy, biology, and economics. Second, the distribution of research institutions and countries has become more concentrated, forming geographically small research clusters in typical black soil area countries, such as Russia and China, where the centrality of research institutions is higher than 0.20. Research networks have also been initially established between developed and developing countries, such as the United States and China, with a high centrality close to 0.50. Third, the research content is increasingly cross-cutting and systematic, and the research focus can be divided into five major areas, such as black soil distribution and physical and chemical characteristics. Fourth, the research areas cover agronomy, chemistry, geography and other levels, and a more systematic research system has been formed. In the future, it is still necessary to strengthen the establishment of data monitoring systems in black soil areas, the improvement of black soil information database, the assertion of conservation tillage technology and the strengthening of extreme climate early warning network to maintain the soil nutrient content and to guarantee the sustainable development of agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of sustainable development is one of the central issues on the agenda of the global community. However, it is difficult to assess the pace and quality of sustainable development of individual economic systems—in particular, industry—due to the lack of a unified methodological approach. In this regard, the following research goal was formulated—to develop and test a methodology for forecasting sustainable development by using statistical tools. The achievement of the goal was facilitated by the application of formalization methods, factor analysis, discriminant analysis, the method of weighted sum of the criteria, and the method of comparison. The results of the study are new scientific and practical solutions that develop the ability to diagnose economic systems for the transition to environmentally friendly production. Firstly, methodological solutions are proposed to assess the nature of the transition of industry to sustainable development (low, medium, or high rate). The methodology is based on the proposed aggregated indicator of sustainable industrial development based on the results of factor analysis (by the method of principal components). As a result, the patterns of sustainable development of the extractive and manufacturing sectors of the Russian economy are revealed. Secondly, integral indicators of economic, environmental and social factors of sustainable development are calculated, and classification functions for each type of industrial transition to sustainable development (low, medium, or high) are formed through discriminant analysis. Scenarios of industrial development are developed, taking into account the multidirectional trajectories of the socioeconomic development of the country. Thirdly, the DFD model of the process of scenario forecasting of sustainable industrial development is formalized, reflecting the movement of data flows necessary for forecasting sustainable industrial development. It is revealed that the manufacturing industry is expected to maintain a low rate of transition to sustainable development. On the contrary, for the extractive industry, if efforts and resources are concentrated on environmental innovations, average transition rates are predicted. The uniqueness of the proposed approach lies in combining two types of multivariate statistical analysis and taking into account the indicators that characterize the contribution of industrial enterprises to sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the depletion of traditional energy sources, the rising costs of their operation and the need to transition to a sustainable economy, it becomes relevant to increase the share of renewable energy sources in total consumption. The purpose of this study is to determine the role of renewable energy and the establishment of factors determining pro-environmental behavior. The data of the author's sociological survey of the population of the Arctic regions of Russia and methods of descriptive statistics were used, and regression analysis was carried out. The study shows the ecological and energy characteristics of the Arctic regions of Russia. The main advantages and possibilities of transition to renewable energy sources have been identified. A relationship has been established between the degree of involvement in pro-environmental behavior and knowledge about renewable energy, the perceived importance of environmental problems, age, income, education, amount of waste produced and current electricity costs. It is shown that the degree of involvement in pro-environmental behavior affects the willingness to pay more for renewable energy. A number of institutional measures to promote renewable energy, increase willingness to pay for renewable energy and spread pro-environmental behavior are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A "silver economy" can drive economic growth. The key condition is effective demand, determined by the number of financially secure members of the elderly population. The aim of this study is to assess the conditions of the Russian "silver economy", identify the constraints on its growth, and develop recommendations for their elimination to achieve Sustainable Development Goals. We applied multivariate statistical analysis methods. The absolute and structural numbers of elderly people in Russia were found to not differ much from those in the developed countries of Europe. Their financial support exhibits several important features. A state pension plays a key role in financing the needs of Russian pensioners. Income from labor occupies the second position. Asset-based reallocations are negligible. Public programs will improve the standard of living of current pensioners. For future pensioners, it is important to increase the income received from asset-based reallocations. Russian pensioners were found to have had a negative experience of participation in the funded pension system. It is necessary to stimulate the voluntary participation of future pensioners in the funded pension system and to change the regulation of the investment activities of pension managers. In general, the formation of conditions favorable to the "silver economy" may turn it into a driver of sustainable development in Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent international climate documents emphasize the great importance of the afforestation of agricultural land having a positive impact on CO2 levels, not only by absorbing carbon by trees, but also by replacing fossil fuels with biomass. In Russia, until recently, the importance of forest plantations in the production of wood was underestimated, which created the problem of its accounting and effective management. When justifying modern protective afforestation programs, ambiguity in the estimates of tree productivity of plantings is one of the reasons for significant uncertainty regarding their impact on the energy security of the country. The purpose of this study was to undertake an economic assessment and assess the regularities of the dynamics of tree productivity of protective forest plantations on the flat terrain and slopes of the forest-steppe zone in the south of the Russian Plain for the effective management of agroforestry taking into account environmental aspects. At the level of the simulation unit—the protective forest cover of the agricultural territory—the main forest reclamation strategies were modeled from the perspective of sustainable land use, depending on the type of relief, the level of forest protection of land and the erosive state of soils. These models comprehensively analyzed the wood productivity of the main forest-forming species, which differ in functionality and service life. It is established that the productivity of 1 ha of forest stands in the forest-steppe is 320–400 m3 of wood, and the commercial effect of its harvesting is EUR 14675–EUR 56567. The specific (per 1 ha of land use) wood productivity of trees on flat terrain increases with the growth of forest protection of the site (due to the reduction of inter-band space) by 1.2–1.8 times. On the slopes, with an increase in their steepness, the specific effect of harvesting wood also increases by almost twofold. On steep slopes with highly eroded soils, the efficiency of forest reclamation decreases by 23%–24% due to a decrease in the width of forest stands and the inclusion of a hydraulic element in their systems. The use of long-lasting forest-forming species for all forest reclamation strategies is more profitable than the use of fast-growing species—the value of the specific average annual (discounted) income per 1 ha of the agroforest landscape is, respectively, EUR 427–EUR 970 and EUR 166–EUR 545. The study will confirm the need to finance forest reclamation measures not only to ensure sustainable rural development, but also Russia's qualitative transition to a low-carbon economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relevance of this study resides in the need to determine the key measures for a more effective application of the mechanism of public–private partnerships (PPP) in the implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects, aimed at developing the innovation potential of the Russian defence–industrial complex (DIC). Through the analysis of foreign practices of the application of PPP in the defence industry, representing a vast body of scientific and popular literature on the development of the defence industry in the U.S. and the countries of Europe and Asia, as well as a review of the domestic regulatory framework, the authors have identified the most common and key problems that are obstacles to the effective and sustainable development of PPP mechanisms, and their application not only in the civil, but also in the defence sector. This work pays specific attention to the requirements that are imposed on public and private partners in the process of implementing PPP projects in the context of SDO performance, along with the risks that are inevitably associated with the activities of each of the parties. As a result, the authors present a graphical interpretation of the algorithm for financing the state defence order (SDO) and disclose the system of interaction between the elements of a given algorithm, as well as formulating an essential recommendation for the further development of PPP in Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the principles of sustainable development in the development of oil and gas fields in the Arctic will ensure that hydrocarbon production and transportation operations comply with stringent environmental regulations, the economies of the northern regions become integrated into the national economy of Russia, production systems in the oil and gas sector are upgraded in an innovative manner, and further development of this region is balanced from the environmental perspective. The purpose of the study is to develop and provide a rationale for a balanced system of environmental, socio-economic, and innovative indicators for assessing whether the development of the Arctic's unique hydrocarbon reserves is sustainable. The theoretical framework of the study draws upon the foundations and key principles of the sustainable development concept and upon modern approaches and methods for assessing the sustainability of production systems. The study presents an analysis of conceptual approaches to defining sustainable development in reference to oil and gas resources, including those found in the Arctic, defines target priorities for the sustainable development of the Arctic's resource potential, and identifies the relationship between the environmental, socio-economic, and innovative domains of sustainability in the context of Arctic resource development. The results of the study demonstrate how large-scale gas projects can influence regional development and provide for making informed conclusions about whether the development of the Arctic's oil and gas reserves can be considered sustainable (in accordance with the basic principles of the sustainable development concept). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas and marine resources has been declared by the United Nations as one of 17 priority Sustainable Development Goals. At present, most of the maritime states are striving to improve the efficiency of their use of marine resources, including sea space. In particular, the European Union is implementing a number of projects related to the implementation of marine spatial planning (MSP) tools. The Baltic Sea is considered as a pilot region, where a pan-Baltic coordinated MSP plan has been developed to provide for sustainable development and blue growth in the marine and coastal economy. The Russian Federation is one of the Baltic countries, but the MSP procedure at the state level does not have institutional and regulatory support, which requires the elimination of gaps and additional development of the maritime management system. The laws of the organization and development of the general theory of management are used in this study. An Integrated Management Model for sustainable marine and coastal use is proposed as a tool for ensuring blue growth, including four interrelated elements (specific management functions), namely "Integrated Coastal Zone Management", "Marine Spatial Planning", "Management of Marine Macroregion" and "Ocean Governance". Their functional content and interaction mechanisms are discussed in order to implement an integral approach to marine use. The vertical structure of the proposed integral model includes three levels corresponding to the federal and regional levels of government and the level of municipal self-governance. The use of the integral model should help accelerate the process of introducing and using MSP instruments in the process of strategic planning in the socio-economic development of the Russian coastal territories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy is considered the one of the most promising solutions to meet sustainable development goals in terms of climate change mitigation. Today, we face the problem of further scaling up renewable energy infrastructure, which requires the creation of reliable energy storages, environmentally friendly carriers, like hydrogen, and competitive international markets. These issues provoke the involvement of resource-based countries in the energy transition, which is questionable in terms of economic efficiency, compared to conventional hydrocarbon resources. To shed a light on the possible efficiency of green hydrogen production in such countries, this study is aimed at: (1) comparing key Russian trends of green hydrogen development with global trends, (2) presenting strategic scenarios for the Russian energy sector development, (3) presenting a case study of Russian hydrogen energy project «Dyakov Ust-Srednekanskaya HPP» in Magadan region. We argue that without significant changes in strategic planning and without focus on sustainable solutions support, the further development of Russian power industry will be halted in a conservative scenario with the limited presence of innovative solutions in renewable energy industries. Our case study showed that despite the closeness to Japan hydrogen market, economic efficiency is on the edge of zero, with payback period around 17 years. The decrease in project capacity below 543.6 MW will immediately lead to a negative NPV. The key reason for that is the low average market price of hydrogen ($14/kg), which is only a bit higher than its production cost ($12.5/kg), while transportation requires about $0.96/kg more. Despite the discouraging results, it should be taken into account that such strategic projects are at the edge of energy development. We see them as an opportunity to lead transnational energy trade of green hydrogen, which could be competitive in the medium term, especially with state support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presently, there is a paradoxical situation in the global energy market related to a gap between the image of hydrocarbon resources (HCR) and their real value for the economy. On the one hand, we face an increase in expected HCR production and consumption volumes, both in the short and long term. On the other hand, we see the formation of the image of HCR and associated technologies as an unacceptable option, without enough attention to the differences in fuels and the ways of their usage. Due to this, it seems necessary to take a step back to review the vitality of such a political line. This article highlights an alternative point of view with regard to energy development prospects. The purpose of this article is to analyse the consistency of criticism towards HCR based on exploration of scientific literature, analytical documents of international corporations and energy companies as well as critical assessment of technologies offered for the HCR substitution. The analysis showed that: (1) it is impossible to substitute the majority of HCR with alternative power resources in the near term, (2) it is essential that the criticism of energy companies with regard to their responsibility for climate change should lead not to destruction of the industry but to the search of sustainable means for its development, (3) the strategic benchmarks of oil and coal industries should shift towards chemical production, but their significance should not be downgraded for the energy sector, (4) liquified natural gas (LNG) is an independent industry with the highest expansion potential in global markets in the coming years as compared to alternative energy options, and (5) Russia possesses a huge potential for the development of the gas industry, and particularly LNG, that will be unlocked if timely measures on higher efficiency of the state regulation system are implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water laws in post-Soviet countries have developed in vastly different ways since each state became entitled to choose its own method of regulating inland water ownership. This article analyzes the Russian Federation and selected post-Soviet states' legal systems related to ownership of surface waters, and assesses the possibility of legal transactions of lakes and other land areas covered by surface water. The research initially centers on establishing whether lakes are owned by the state or by the county, if a lake can be subject to sale to a private person or enterprise and finally examines the different approaches of post-Soviet countries to their surface water use. In achieving these objectives, the article analyzes water law in the Russian Federation, Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. It then identifies how water ownership is regulated in these countries and compares this with United Nations assumptions of surface water ownership as a Sustainable Development Goal. Finally, the results establish that countries from the same "block" regulate water ownership similarly, and that combined regulations could enhance future implementation of international standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial distribution and dynamic changes of the forests in Primorsky Krai, Russia, are of great significance for regional ecological security and sustainable economic and societal development. With the support of the Google Earth Engine cloud computing platform, we first synthesized yearly Landsat surface reflectance images of the best quality of the research area and then used the random forest method to calculate the forest classification probability of the study area year by year from 1998 to 2015. Furthermore, we used a time–series segmentation algorithm to perform temporal trajectory segmentation for forest classification probability estimation, and determined the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics and change laws of the forest. We extended the existing algorithms and parameters of forest classification probability trajectory analysis, achieving a high overall accuracy (86.2%) in forest change detection in the study area. The extended method can accurately capture the time node information of the changes. In the present research we observed: (1) that from 1998 to 2015, the forest area of the whole district showed a net loss state, with a loss area of 0.56 × 106 ha, of which the cumulative forest disturbance area reached 1.12 × 106 ha, and the cumulative forest recovery area reached 0.55 × 106 ha; and (2) that more than 90% of the forest change occurred in areas with a slope of less than 18°, at a distance of less than 20 km from settlements, and at a distance of less than 10 km from roads. The forest disturbance monitoring results are consistent with the changes in official statistical results over time, but there was a 20% overestimation. The technical method we extended in this study can be used as a reference for large–scale and high–precision dynamic monitoring of the forests in Russia's Far East and other regions of the world; it also provides a basis for estimating illegal timber harvesting and determining the appropriate amount of forest harvested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coastal peloidis a peculiar and poorly-studied geological substance. Peloids occurin the Bugaz, Kiziltash, and Vityazevolimans and the Chemburka Lake on the southern coast of the Taman Peninsula. The studied peloids are dark-colored mud enriched in hydrogen sulfide and methane and constitute the uppermost 10–20 cm of bottom sediments. Being geologically unique, the coastal peloids of the Taman Peninsula can be recognized as ageoheritage site. Their uniqueness is linked to sediment type, biogeochemical processes, economic value, and depositional environment. The most typical peloids are found in the BugazLiman and the Chemburka Lake, proposed as geosites. The recognized coastal geoheritage site can be used for the purposes of science, education, and tourism, and its utility seems to be especially high because of its close location to the big resort area of Anapa. It appears to be important to balance management of this geoheritagesite with peloid extraction for balneological purposes. The studied coastal muds should be involved into the regional planning programs aimed at sustainable development (international experience and, particularly, some examples from the British coasts should be taken into consideration). Particularly, it is necessary to put peloid use into the context of regional planning and sustainable natural resource management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]