Priorities of regional strategizing: the role and determinants of the climate agenda

The study reconsiders the traditional approach to selecting strategic priorities for regional development in the context of the climate agenda, which reflects global trends in energy transition, decarbonisation and adaptation to climate change. Adequate assessment by regions of climate change, climate risks, threats and emerging opportunities, which should be taken into account in strategic plans for social and economic development, plays an important role in this process. The failure-free operation of energy infrastructure as an integrated energy system in Russia is of particular importance in the context of climate catastrophes. Therefore, eleven regions that are part of the integrated energy system of the Urals are selected as the subject of the study. The aim of the paper is to substantiate the methodology of diagnosis and assessment of the implementation of the climate agenda factors in the regional strategic priorities and to analyse the degree of preparedness of the Urals energy system regions to the growing climate risks. The hypothesis of the study is that natural and climatic conditions and climate risks, which can cause significant damage, determine the choice of regional strategy priorities and the degree of elaboration of regional climate change adaptation plans. The research methods used are content analysis, analytical methods, synthesis and comparative analysis. The study is based on the materials available on the official websites of the regions and state statistical bodies, in the information and legal database "Consultant+", in the open access of the Internet, in particular, Roshydromet documents, regional climate change adaptation plans, strategies of social and economic development of the regions and others. The study shows that the work is being carried out and, according to formal criteria, generally complies with the recommendations of the Government of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation. The study supports this hypothesis: the regions have mostly developed regional adaptation plans, and the priorities of social and economic development strategies reflect the determinants of the climate agenda and the main risks posed by climate change. However, the fact that regional strategies include certain climate priorities does not mean that they are fully elaborated. The obtained results can be used to improve regional strategies for improving social and economic development and climate change adaptation plans.