Assessing the relationship between economic growth in Russian regions and environmental pollution

In the context of the turbulence of the global economy and geopolitics, the task of ensuring accelerated economic growth of the regions by increasing the efficiency of using internal potential: natural resources, human resources, scientific and technological, etc. is strategically important for the Russian Federation. However, the solution to this problem, as noted by scientists and public administration practitioners, must necessarily take into account the environmental aspects of territorial development, current and future anthropogenic impact on the environment. Underestimation of these aspects can lead to irreversible consequences in the field of climate change, degradation of natural resources, deterioration of public health and reduction of the total economic potential of territories. The aim of the study is to assess the impact of environmental pollution on the economic growth of Russian regions. To achieve it, we used general scientific methods (generalization, analysis, synthesis) and methods of spatial econometrics (construction of multiple regression models with spatial lags, calculation of local spatial autocorrelation indices). As a result, we found that, in general, in Russia’s regions, an increase in the gross regional product is accompanied, on the one hand, by an increase in emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere from stationary sources and the number of passenger vehicles, and, on the other, by a decrease in discharges of contaminated wastewater into surface water bodies. The paper substantiates the clustering of regions in the country's space according to the level of per capita GRP and the most significant indicator of environmental pollution affecting it – emissions of pollutants into the atmospheric air. The paper proposes the directions of reducing emissions of such substances into the atmosphere. The results of the work contribute to the substantiation of the relationship between environmental factors and the economic growth of Russian regions and can be used by researchers in conducting research on similar topics, government authorities in the development of strategic documents and specific projects for the development of territories.