Ecological Behavior of the Population of the Murmansk Region: Features and Factors

Introduction. One of the most important conditions for ensuring sustainable development of the Arctic is overcoming the contradictions between economic and environmental constraints on the functioning of its socio-ecological-economic systems. The key importance in the development of mechanisms for this overcoming lies in the involvement of the population in pro-environmental activity. The aim of the study is to identify the features and factors of pro-environmental behavior of the population of the Murmansk Region, as well as their willingness to take responsibility for solving environmental problems. Materials and Methods. The empirical basis of the work was the results of a sociological study conducted in the Murmansk region (2023, n = 1,258, multistage sampling). In the process of data processing the methods of descriptive and multivariate statistics were applied. For econometric analysis we used the binary choice model, which allowed us to study and evaluate the influence of basic characteristics of respondents (gender, age, income, education), as well as factors of the model “values ‒ beliefs ‒ norms” on the frequency of manifestation of individual practices of environmentally responsible behavior. Results. It was found that the population of the Arctic territories is quite active in the field of environmental protection. Common practices of pro-environmental behavior include refraining from unauthorized garbage disposal, active participation in community work days, and minimizing the use of disposable tableware and polyethylene packaging. The basic characteristics of respondents (gender, age, income and education) and their value orientations have a differentiated impact on the realization of individual pro-environmental practices of the population. However, understanding the importance of a clean environment increases the likelihood of realizing most of them. Discussion and Conclusion. The results of the study enrich scientific understanding of the factors and specifics of pro-environmental behavior in regions with unique climatic, infrastructural, economic, and other characteristics, and provide a basis for the development of regulatory measures in this area.