Efficiency of Air Protection Policy in Regions of the Russian Federation: Comparative Data Analysis

In modern Russia, a wide range of measures that are aimed at atmosphere protection are realized. Their success depends on the effective monitoring of goals set. It is advisable to supplement operational control over physical parameters, such as the concentration of harmful substances in the atmosphere, with interregional comparisons of measures’ effectiveness in protecting atmospheric air and assessing the decoupling of economic growth fr om harmful emissions to identify best practices and bottlenecks. The purpose of this paper is to assess the effectiveness of air protection policy in the regions of the Russian Federation based on data from the Federal Service for State Statistics for 2017–2023. The authors use general scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, the Tapio method for assessing and visualizing the diversification of territories by the degree of decoupling of the growth of GRP and harmful emissions, techniques for constructing composite statistical indices, and methods of descriptive statistics. Unlike other works, this one considers the issue of not only CO2 but also all harmful emissions. It was revealed that most regions of the Russian Federation demonstrate significant positive decoupling (with economic growth and reduction of emissions), which corresponds to the imperative of their sustainable development. The conclusion is supported by the mean of the positive decoupling index (-4.7) and the modal interval (-4; 0). The composite index of air protection measures’ effectiveness is calculated as the geometric mean of three indicators: the volume of captured and neutralized emissions from stationary sources, the reforestation area, and the inverse value of harmful substances from stationary sources. Modal interval (1.0; 1.1) indicates a favorable assessment of the effectiveness of the environmental protection policy for the indicators under consideration. We have identified both leading regions, whose experiences can be scaled, and outsider regions, wh ere economic growth alongside the reduction of harmful emissions has yet to be achieved. Efforts to reduce emissions, capture and neutralize harmful substances, and promote reforestation should be intensified. Authors’ contribution. L.Yu. Bogachkova – formulation of the problem, selection of data, development of article concept, analysis and interpretation of results, editing the text of the article; E.D. Ershova – literature review, calculations and preparation of their tabular and graphical illustrations, participation in the analysis and reliable results, preparation of the text of the article.