Eco-efficiency as the basis for sustainability development of the region

The article examines issues of sustainable development of regions from the perspective of ensuring environmental efficiency and environmental well-being. Approaches to studying the relationship between economic growth and environmental impact are presented. Simple models for diagnosing the impact of a growing economy on the environment, including the environmental efficiency of the regional economy, are proposed. The author’s research methodology is based on the environmental load coefficient, which is calculated as the volume of impact on the environment per unit of gross regional product equal to the value equivalent of a fixed set of consumer goods and services. The environmental efficiency indicator is based on the inverse of the environmental load coefficient and reflects changes in the environmental friendliness of the economy relative to the base period. Studying the dynamics of environmental load makes it possible to assess the environmental efficiency of the economy, including from the standpoint of decaplin. Using the author’s methodology, the work diagnoses the environmental efficiency of the economies of the regions of the Volga Federal District in 2010–2021 using the example of air pollution. In general, there is an increase in environmental efficiency and environmental well-being, but the situation among the subjects is heterogeneous and varies by different types of pollution and by region. In some cases, environmental factors have deteriorated. An analysis of environmental efficiency for the Kirov region is presented in more detail. It has been established that the region is one of the three leaders in the anti-rating of environmental efficiency of the economies of the constituent entities of the Volga Federal District regarding emissions of solid substances, nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide into the atmospheric air. In general, a conclusion is made about the low environmental efficiency of the economy of the Kirov region.