Evaluation of development sustainability at the regional level: the case of Tatarstan Republic

The development of integrated indicators that take into account economic, environmental and social criteria remains one of the most relevant aspects of evaluating the sustainability of development. Inequality of development leads eventually to lower rates of economic growth and requires a detailed analysis of socio-environmental criteria in their interconnection with economic growth. The coefficient of decoupling is one of the development indicators which reflects economic and environmental aspects of regional development and is widely used today in Russian and foreign practices. The possibility of using this approach is analyzed by the example of one of the most developed regions of Russia - Republic of Tatarstan. The analysis of statistical data on economic development in the number of Middle Volga regions and its influence on the environment allows concluding that the effect of decoupling is typical for all studied regions. At the same time, the differentiation of the coefficient values of decoupling by the administrative districts of Tatarstan has shown the need for further research. The choice of indicators (such as gross regional product, volume of emissions into atmosphere, discharges into water bodies, etc.) for calculating the decoupling coefficient, which reflect the degree of anthropogenic load on natural environment, must be adjusted in accordance to the type of regional nature use. Working out the methodological approaches to solution of this problem will facilitate a more correct evaluation of the decoupling effect, taking into account environmental, economic and social aspects of development to adjust the goals of sustainable development at the regional level.