Environmental Consequences of Economic Integration: Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Air Quality in the EAEU

This article presents a comprehensive assessment of the environmental consequences of economic integration across the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) from 1990 to 2024. Particular attention is given to three key indicators of sustainable development: ecological footprint per capita, the share of renewable energy in final energy consumption, and energy use per unit of GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP). Based on data from international organizations (IEA, World Bank, Global Footprint Network), a cross-country analysis was conducted for the five EAEU member states: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan. The study reveals that following a sharp decline in indicators during the 1990s – associated with deindustrialization and economic recession – the countries have since followed divergent development trajectories. Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have exceeded their Soviet-era levels of energy consumption, while Russia, Belarus, and Armenia have yet to return to 1990 levels. The analysis of the ecological footprint demonstrates its strong correlation with economic structure: in several countries, modernization of production and improved energy efficiency have contributed to reducing environmental pressure. The Pearson correlation analysis confirms the existence of a statistically significant inverse relationship between economic growth and energy intensity in most EAEU countries, while no consistent relationships were found with the share of renewable energy or ecological footprint. These findings underscore the need for targeted public policy aimed at improving energy efficiency and transitioning to sustainable energy in the context of regional integration.