Public attitude towards nuclear and renewable energy as a factor of their development in a circular economy frame: two case studies

5siThe energy sector is one of the most important sectors of the economy and one of the polluters of the environment. Therefore, in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and the climate goal stated in the Paris Agreement, many countries need to carry out a full-scale eco-modernization of the energy sector and develop green energy. Nuclear and renewable energy may become key areas of global energy development in the near future, in agreement also with Circular economy concepts, but public opinion (and other controversial visions/aspects) is one of the barriers to their development. The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between attitudes towards nuclear and renewable energy in two countries: EU and non-EU, considering the level of their development. The authors conducted a survey among residents regarding their attitude towards nuclear and renewable energy, as well as their attitude to the present energy policy. The cluster analysis technique was used to analyze the results. The obtained results confirmed the dependence between the level of development of nuclear and renewable energy and the public attitude towards it. The authors identified the public attitude as one of the key factors in the development of energy and the achievement of environmental and social sustainability.openopenKaraeva, Anzhelika; Magaril, Elena; Torretta, Vincenzo; Viotti, Paolo; Rada, Elena CristinaKaraeva, Anzhelika; Magaril, Elena; Torretta, Vincenzo; Viotti, Paolo; Rada, Elena Cristin

Role of EU and non-EU universities in achieving environmental sustainability

At present, the principles of sustainable development are being implemented in almost all economy sectors whereas one of the key drivers of the transition to a new concept is higher education system also. The inclusion of special academic disciplines on sustainable development, the implementation of environmental protection measures, financial support for research in the field of environmental sciences, campuses landscape – all these stimulates the process of transition to a concept of sustainable development. In addition, higher education makes it possible to form an ecological worldview among the younger generation that is an effective tool in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). University graduates who understand the need to achieve the SDGs and provide environmental protection, lead an eco-friendlier lifestyle and pass on the knowledge they have gained to their children or other family members. The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between the involved activity of universities in the field of sustainable development and the implementation of large-scale government programs to achieve environmental sustainability. The study will examine the experience of Eu and non-EU universities and state environmental protection programs. The results obtained allow us to conclude about the correlation between educational activities in the higher education system and achievements at the state level of environmental sustainability

КЛАСТЕРНЫЙ АНАЛИЗ В ИССЛЕДОВАНИИ РЕГИОНАЛЬНОЙ ДИФФЕРЕНЦИАЦИИ ПРОЦЕССОВ ВОСПРОИЗВОДСТВА МОЛОДОГО ПОКОЛЕНИЯ В РОССИИ

Historically, there have been significant differences between the various parts of Russia as regards socio-economic parameters. Clearly, the use of a single set of measures to address demographic problems in different parts of Russia cannot be effective. This situation requires a differentiated approach based on the allocation of groups of regions that are similar in features of the current demographic situation. The purpose of the study was to identify the regional differentiation of the processes of young generation reproduction. The authors performed an agglomerative hierarchical clustering algorithm to identify groups of regions characterised by similar features in the sphere of reproduction. The analysis enabled to reveal five groups of regions where the situation with young population has characteristic features.The study has allowed drawing a number of theoretical and practical conclusions aimed at improving the country’s state youth policy. In addition, this research has shown that statistical cluster analysis can be considered as an effective tool of development of practical recommendations for prompt solving problems among youth. Therefore, this type of analysis can be integrated as an analytical tool in the research component of the state youth policy.Исторически регионы России существенно различаются между собой по целому ряду социально-экономических показателей. Очевидно, что в этих условиях для решения демографических проблем российских территорий применение единого, уравнительного подхода не может быть эффективным. Здесь необходим дифференцированный подход, основанный на выделении групп регионов, отличающихся схожими особенностями сложившейся демографической ситуации.Цель настоящего исследования - выявление региональной дифференциации процессов воспроизводства молодого поколения в России на основе кластерного анализа. Для выделения групп регионов, характеризующихся схожими тенденциями в этой сфере, применялся метод агломеративной иерархической кластеризации. В результате анализа были выделены пять сегментов, различающихся спецификой воспроизводства молодого поколения.Проведенное исследование позволило сформулировать ряд выводов теоретического и прикладного характера, нацеленных на совершенствование реализуемых в стране мер государственной молодежной политики. Кроме того, исследование показало, что статистический инструментарий кластерного анализа может рассматриваться в качестве эффективного механизма создания практических рекомендаций для оперативного решения возникающих в молодежной среде проблем и поэтому может быть интегрирован в исследовательскую составляющую государственной молодежной политики

Green energy development in an industrial region: A case-study of Sverdlovsk region

5siopenThe development of renewable energy is one of the strategic directions of eco-modernization of the Russian energy sector, which will not only reduce the negative impact of the industry on the environment, but also provide remote territories with the stable access to electricity. Despite the fact that the Russian regions have a great potential for the development of renewable energy, the full transition of the energy sector to the "green" vector of its development is currently impossible. Moreover, most of current studies consider the development of renewable energy without reference to the regions, which, according to the authors, does not provide an objective assessment of the potential for the use of renewable energy in Russia. The purpose of the present research is to evaluate the potential for the introduction of various renewable energy sources (RES) in the energy sector of the Sverdlovsk region – one of the largest industrial regions of Russia. The full-scale assessment of their potential use at the regional level helps to accelerate the process of their introduction into the energy sector, since during the assessment, scientists analyze not only the possibilities of use, but also the barriers to development. Authors applied various research methods among which analysis of state programs, analysis of the official statistical reports, analysis of natural conditions on the territory of the region, etc. As a result, authors developed a map of potential use of renewables in the territory of Sverdlovsk region, evaluated prospects of their development and revealed key barriers. The proposed algorithm of assessment might be applicable for other Russian regions.openKaraeva, Anzhelika; Magaril, Elena; Torretta, Vincenzo; Ragazzi, Marco; Rada, Elena Cristina.Karaeva, Anzhelika; Magaril, Elena; Torretta, Vincenzo; Ragazzi, Marco; Rada, Elena Cristina

Preliminary criteria for the energy sector: environmental and economic efficiency of investment projects

Ecological and economic assessment is a key stage in the selection process of investment projects as it defines their efficiency and allows to forecast their likely impact on the environment and the socio-economic situation of the territory. Approaches to the efficiency assessment of investment projects include only basic criteria and do not sufficiently consider industryspecific. The energy sector is a significant primary sector in the global economy that directly affects the standard of living, energy resources availability for population and for the productive sector of economy and has a considerable impact on the environment. Therefore, the efficiency assessment process of investment project in the energy industry should comprise criteria which will respond to the branch specificity and provide accurate data about potential environmental and socio-economic consequences of project’s implementation in both the short and the long-term run. The paper aims to propose a list of environmental criteria for improving the process of the ecological and economic efficiency assessment of energy investment projects, considering also the Circular Economy concepts. The list is based on the results of the expert survey carried out by the authors and might be used for multiple-criteria decision analysis of the investment projects

Role of EU and non-EU universities in achieving environmental sustainability

At present, the principles of sustainable development are being implemented in almost all economy sectors whereas one of the key drivers of the transition to a new concept is higher education system also. The inclusion of special academic disciplines on sustainable development, the implementation of environmental protection measures, financial support for research in the field of environmental sciences, campuses landscape – all these stimulates the process of transition to a concept of sustainable development. In addition, higher education makes it possible to form an ecological worldview among the younger generation that is an effective tool in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). University graduates who understand the need to achieve the SDGs and provide environmental protection, lead an eco-friendlier lifestyle and pass on the knowledge they have gained to their children or other family members. The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between the involved activity of universities in the field of sustainable development and the implementation of large-scale government programs to achieve environmental sustainability. The study will examine the experience of Eu and non-EU universities and state environmental protection programs. The results obtained allow us to conclude about the correlation between educational activities in the higher education system and achievements at the state level of environmental sustainability

PLANNING SUSTAINABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION: THREE CASE STUDIES

7siSustainable development is a key principle of national and international policies, which has been strongly promoted by the European Union since 2015. Communication, education, the awareness of the importance of accelerating the transition from a linear economy to a circular one and of raising environmental awareness play a key role in the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs). To achieve the goals on a large scale, it is necessary to start from a local scale. In this sense, universities must experiment best practices and make them available to the society. In the last years, many universities have adopted environmental sustainability plans in order to implement green policies and develop a roadmap towards the achievement of the SDGs, while sharing best practices with university communities and society. This paper presents the case of two Italian universities and a Russian one. Specifically, the paper presents the contents of the current environmental sustainability plans of the Italian universities, discussing the reasons for the choice of the environmental sustainability goals and the expected results following the implementation of the related actions. A comparison between the approaches adopted in the sustainability plans of the two Italian universities will be presented in details. In addition, the paper analyses the potential implementation of a sustainability plan in the Russian university. The paper will discuss also potential criticalities in the achievement of the goals.openopenSchiavon, Marco; Ragazzi, Marco; Magaril, Elena; Chashchin, Maxim; Karaeva, Anzhelika; Torretta, Vincenzo; Rada, Elena CristinaSchiavon, Marco; Ragazzi, Marco; Magaril, Elena; Chashchin, Maxim; Karaeva, Anzhelika; Torretta, Vincenzo; Rada, Elena Cristin

Approaches to the assessment of ecological and economic efficien of investment projects : brief review and recommendations for improvements

The implementation of investment projects has an important role to play in the development of the economy and also to be in concordance with the Circular Economy concepts, as it causes not only the flows of financial and labor resources into the regional economy, but also stimulates the development of scientific and technological progress and the emergence of innovations. A comprehensive assessment is essential approach of any investment project to achieve sustainable development and to close the loop as requested be the Circular Economy through balancing between social and economic development, as well as preservation of environment. The assessment of ecological and economic efficiency of investment projects is one of the most significant stages of project implementation as it allows to uncover the potential negative effects and possible failure of the project. So far, there are no unified approaches to assessing the effectiveness of investment projects, especially its environmental component. That fact leads to a biased assessment of the impact of an investment project on the environment. The problem is caused not only by the lack of a common, internationally accepted methodology, but also by the complexity of accounting for externalities and negative financial impact. The purpose of the study is to examine and systemize existing approaches to the assessment of ecological and economic efficiency and provide recommendations for its enhancement. The article highlights two conceptual approaches to the efficiency assessment of the project and their benefits and drawbacks

MSW management in universities: Sharing best practices

The optimization of municipal solid waste management requires the re-organization of niche sectors too. The sector of university is not fully explored from the scientific point of view. The creation of networks among universities in order to face this issue allows an exchange of expertise also at international level as demonstrated in this article, by three case studies: two Italian (University of Trento and University of Insubria) and one Russian (Ural Federal University) universities. This study highlights the pros and cons of each university in terms of waste management. Specifically, setting up communication campaigns, standard procedures, monitoring actions, pricing strategies that incentivize selective collection and improving the collaboration within the university community are identified as crucial initiatives. The margins of improvement of the three universities analyzed are favored by the composition of the generated waste. The implementation of good practices can give economic advantages to the universities, besides improving their level of sustainability