Sustainable Development in Sparsely Populated Territories: Case of the Russian Arctic and Far East

Abstract

Extreme environmental conditions, sparsely distributed human populations, and diverse local economies characterize the Russian Arctic and Far East. There is an urgent need for multidisciplinary research into how the Arctic and Far East can be developed sustainably as global changes in the environment and the economic priorities of nations accelerate and globalized societies emerge. Yet, when it comes to sustainability indicators, little consideration has been given thus far to sparsely populated and remote territories. Rather, the majority of indicators have been developed and tested while using empirical research gathered from cities and densely populated rural localities. As a result, there is no scientific technique that can be used to monitor the development of sparsely populated territories and inform the decisions of policymakers who hope to account for local specificity. This article suggests a conceptual model for linking sustainability to the unique characteristics of the sparsely populated regions of the Arctic and Far East. We provide an empirical illustration that is based on regional-level data from the sparsely populated territories of the Russian Federation. We conclude by suggesting indicators that could be best suited to promoting balanced regional development that accounts for the environment, economy, and social needs of sparsely populated territories.

Rural Development in Sparsely Populated Areas. Vranov Na Dyjí Micro-Region in Moravia

“…In the analysis of the development possibilities of sparsely populated areas, we used the concept of sustainable development in its three dimensionseconomic, social and environmental. Indicators and methodology for the analysis of problems of sparsely populated areas were proposed, for example, by Stepanova et al (2020) on the example of the Russian Arctic regions. The work used mainly geographical methods, especially the analysis of statistical data, knowledge from field research (Vaishar et al, 2000), analysis of secondary sources.…”

Parameters of Sustainable Development: Case of Arctic Liquefied Natural Gas Projects

“…The components of sustainable development at the regional level include the stable functioning of industrial complexes, socio-economic and ecological systems of individual entities, comprehensive improvement of territories and settlements, provision of housing and communal services. These components create an impact on the population, industry, social, energy and transport infrastructure, improvement of well-being and the quality of local people's life, which ensures the preservation of culture and traditions [35].…”

Tools for Measuring Energy Sustainability: A Comparative Review

“…Therefore, since the dimensions of sustainability are not independent of each other, the constant balance of sustainability makes it a dynamic concept and not a static state [38]. Due to the dynamic characteristic of sustainability, new ideas always emerge [39][40][41]. Additionally, for the three fundamental dimensions of sustainability (economic, social, and environmental), there are other definitions of sustainable dimensions in the literature, according to the need for the phenomenon to be measured.…”