Structural transformations of the economy in the Pacific Region of Russia and efficiency trends

Pacific Russia is viewed as an aqua-territorial macro-region that encompasses the Far Eastern Federal District and the adjacent water area within the 200-mile maritime economic zone. The macro-region has a wealth of natural resources at land and on sea, opportunities for the use of sea transport to link Russia and Europe with the countries of Asia-Pacific Region. Pacific Russia is divided into 2 latitudinal zones — the northern zone and southern zone, which include the territories of northern and southern constituents of the Russian Far Eastern Federal District. The combinations of activities by constituent entities and latitudinal zones are considered as the territorial structures of the economy. This article reveals the differences in socio-economic capacity and development level of these latitudinal zones. The authors have assessed the structural transformations in the economy of latitudinal zones in 2004–2013 by taking into account the changes of similar activities in the constituent entities and their ratios measured as a share of value added. This allowed to identify the transformations of territorial economic structures in the latitudinal zones. Over this period, the greatest changes of economic structures occurred in the northern zone. In the southern zone, the structural transformations of the economy were smaller, except for the Sakhalin region. In all latitudinal zones, there was a decrease in the share of manufacturing industries and the increase in the share of extractive industries. The article compares the generalized assessment of changes in the social and economic efficiency (by the growth of population income, labor productivity, and profits) with the structural changes in the economy of the constituent entities of Pacific Russia. The authors note that an important premise for building a sufficiently sustainable system of interregional division of labor in Pacific Russia is the location of extractive industries and initial stages of the manufacturing industry activities in the northern zone, while the major manufacturing industries and interregional transport and logistics services are located in the southern zone. This article is intended for experts and students interested in the development problems of Russia’s eastern regions.The article has been prepared with the support of the Russian Science Foundation Grant “Factors, mechanisms and types of structural transformation and modernization of territorial socio-economic systems in Pacific Russia” (№ 14–18–03185)

Spatial Differentiation of the Economic Structure of the Russian Regions of the Arctic Zone

The Regions located in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation implement an important function in the development of an export potential of the country. The richest nature-resource potential of the land and the sea should be considered as the favorable factors of manufacture development in the Arctic zone. The negative factors constraining the development of the Arctic zone are as follows: severe nature-climatic conditions; considerable remoteness of the region from the subjects of the Russian Federation being socially and economically more developed; weak economic (including infrastructural) mastering of this territory; a low demographic potential of the population. The goal of the studies is to reveal the existing spatial differentiation of the economic activities in the northern latitude areas of the country. The authors have compiled several diagrams and maps to estimate the differences in the branch structure of gross value added of the subjects of the Arctic zone of Russia. Besides that, a variance of the areas’ shares in comparison with the average value of the Russian Federation as a whole has been estimated. The analysis of the features of spatial differentiation of the economic activities of the Arctic regions allows us to determine the certain tendencies of the development of economic structures for the future. The article is intended for those experts and students who are interested in the problems of the development of the northern regions of the Russian Federation.The research was supported by the Program for Fundamental Studies Support of the Presidium of the RAS (No. 44 P) “Exploratory Fundamental Research in Aimed at the Development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation”

Marine Spatial Planning: Theoretical Aspects

In this article, I consider marine spatial planning (MSP) as a complex of analyses, calculations, and evaluations aimed to prove feasibility of economic activities and contribute to their development in a certain part of a sea or an ocean. A most likely comprehensive MSP object is an integrated segment of coastal/marine area. Consisting of a marine part and a coastal area, such segments are a product of zoning. In this article, I explore the key MSP stages — from identifying the panning object to evaluating the natural resource potential and performing calculations for relevant aquaterritorial structures. The basic principles of the geographical division of marine geosystems are the following ones: identifying relatively integrated marine sectors and relatively integrated coastal sectors and connecting them into a single whole. A hierarchical approach is key to transboundary marine basins. I propose the following techniques: geographical zoning, identification of an area and basin-specific combinations of natural resources, geoinformation modelling, and forecast analysis for different activities and relevant spatial elements of aquaterritorial structures

Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI): facing the challenges and pathways of global change in the 21st century

During the past several decades, the Earth system has changed significantly, especially across Northern Eurasia. Changes in the socio-economic conditions of the larger countries in the region have also resulted in a variety of regional environmental changes that can have global consequences. The Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI) has been designed as an essential continuation of the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI), which was launched in 2004. NEESPI sought to elucidate all aspects of ongoing environmental change, to inform societies and, thus, to better prepare societies for future developments. A key principle of NEFI is that these developments must now be secured through science-based strategies co-designed with regional decision makers to lead their societies to prosperity in the face of environmental and institutional challenges. NEESPI scientific research, data, and models have created a solid knowledge base to support the NEFI program. This paper presents the NEFI research vision consensus based on that knowledge. It provides the reader with samples of recent accomplishments in regional studies and formulates new NEFI science questions. To address these questions, nine research foci are identified and their selections are briefly justified. These foci include: warming of the Arctic; changing frequency, pattern, and intensity of extreme and inclement environmental conditions; retreat of the cryosphere; changes in terrestrial water cycles; changes in the biosphere; pressures on land-use; changes in infrastructure; societal actions in response to environmental change; and quantification of Northern Eurasia's role in the global Earth system. Powerful feedbacks between the Earth and human systems in Northern Eurasia (e.g., mega-fires, droughts, depletion of the cryosphere essential for water supply, retreat of sea ice) result from past and current human activities (e.g., large scale water withdrawals, land use and governance change) and potentially restrict or provide new opportunities for future human activities. Therefore, we propose that Integrated Assessment Models are needed as the final stage of global change assessment. The overarching goal of this NEFI modeling effort will enable evaluation of economic decisions in response to changing environmental conditions and justification of mitigation and adaptation efforts

Sustainable development of coastal regions: geographical and geopolitical factors and limitations

Having formed at the end of the 20th century, the concept of spatial development retains its relevance today. Yet, it is associated with a range of problems with its practical implementation and theoretical vindication, especially at a regional level. Attaining sustainable regional development, understood as a steady progress balanced across the economy, social industries and environmental protection, has been deemed impossible without identifying and considering regional development factors, such as geographical and economic-geographical position, environmental conditions and their geographical diversity, natural resource and their location, spatial features of the economy and the settlement structure. Coastal regions are affected by sundry other factors, such as the presence of a seacoast, viewed as a special resource, access to maritime transport and the availability of marine resources, including renewable ones, which are essential for sustainable development. The geopolitical situation of a region and the components of this situation are considered as geopolitical factors. Other limitations include extreme natural processes and events (large waves, tsunamis, typhoons etc.) The article aims to show that an integral geographical system or a combination thereof covering a region should be considered as the most appropriate object for assessment, planning and management of sustainable development, which is based on regional nature management including water and land resources. It is proposed that sustainable development criteria include economic, social and environmental metrics of regional development. Strategic marine and spatial planning and the monitoring of regional environmental management and development are identified as principal tools for attaining and maintaining sustainable development