Economic links between Russia and China: from cross-border to interregional cooperation (the case of Sverdlovsk region and Heilongjiang province)

The article considers major trends in the cooperation between Russia and China on the regional level. China is one of Russia’s main trade partners, which makes it particularly important to enhance the efficiency of this relationship on the national as well as on the regional level. Considering the dynamics of international integration processes, the authors analyze how the role of cross-border and interregional cooperation is changing over time, paying special attention to those regions that are remote from each other. The article focuses on the case of Sverdlovsk region and Heilongjiang province. The available data demonstrate the diversity of the existing trade and other relations between these industrial regions and enable the authors to characterize the institutional framework for this cooperation, its key priorities and problems. A general overview of the current and prospective joint projects is also provided. The authors compare economic specialization, systems of settlement, the level of urbanization of Sverdlovsk region and Heilongjiang province and draw a conclusion that the economies of these regions are complementary. The article also points out that it is essential to consider the long-term effects of Eurasian integration projects and to assess the positive and negative impacts of the Belt and Road Initiative on Sverdlovsk region in order to identify priorities for the region’s foreign policy

Implementation of the Smart City Technology for Environmental Protection Management of Cities: The Experience of Russia and Kazakhstan

Approaches to the organization of management of environmental protection within the framework of introduction of Smart City technologies are reviewed in this article. For this purpose, a retrospective analysis of transformation of the Smart City notion has been carried out and basic characteristics of a modern smart city interpretation have been distinguished: the use of information technology in all functional areas of the city ecosystem, active involvement of residents in the processes of city management through organization of a system of user services, commitment to sustainable development of a city to the benefit of future generations. In the research process the key factors of the environment pollution in cities were reviewed having identified systemic challenges in the environmental field, which can be solved by introduction of the Smart City technology. For each environmental factor promising technologies of the Smart City system and effects that may be reached by means of their introduction are provided. Analysis of the existing technological solutions of the Smart City made it possible to identify the complex nature of environmental problems of cities, the solution of which requires introduction of smart technologies in all the spheres of functioning of the city. In the practical part of the article smart city's technology development and implementation experience is presented, aimed at environmental protection in the cities of Russia and Kazakhstan. The empirical basis of the analysis is constituted by the results of the studies carried out within the framework of the research work "Enhancement of the State Regulation Policy of Accelerated Clustering of the Industrial Regions" implemented on the grounds of the grant funding of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan. © 2019 Irina Turgel et al., published by Sciendo 2019

An Analysis of Socioeconomic Impacts in Smart City Development: Different Plans and Their Implications for Municipal Management Policy Adjustments

This essay examines the socioeconomic impacts of different smart city development plans and their implications for municipal management policies. Drawing on examples from China and Russia, the essay highlights the challenges and opportunities of smart city development and suggests ways in which municipalities can adjust policies to address them

Impact of Zones with Special Status on the Environment (Experience of Russia and Kazakhstan)

In the article the issues of establishing and functioning of the zones with special economic activity conditions are addressed and their impact on the environment in Russia and Kazakhstan is assessed. The relevance of the subject of the research is determined, on the one hand, by a qualitative change in the role of the environmental issues in the system of values of population of the post-Soviet countries and, on the other hand, by cumulative increase of the negative impact due to the irrational environmental management. Information about the types of special status zones established in these countries is systematized. The key characteristics of these institutional entities are compared, which includes goals and specifics of their development, implemented organizational mechanisms, measures for support of business activities, offered tax incentives and preferences. The authors demonstrate that the adopted accelerated economic growth strategy within the framework of zones with special status is implemented disregarding the environmental effects of their development, which poses serious threats to self-preservation of the society and environment. Common and country-specific risks of functioning of the zones with special economic activity conditions are justified. Factors contributing to inadequate assessment of the negative impact on the environment of industries, created in SEZ were revealed. It is emphasized that the current legal and regulatory framework of these zones in Russia and Kazakhstan is aimed not at the prevention of environmental threats but at the easing of requirements for entities in the field of environmental management. Finally, conclusion is made about the greening opportunities of development of the zones with special economic activity conditions, a necessity to enhance the environmental legislation and mutual "best practices" adoption opportunities in this field in Russia and Kazakhstan. The empirical basis of the analysis is constituted by the results of the studies carried out within the framework of the research work "Enhancement of the State Regulation Policy of Accelerated Clustering of the Industrial Regions" implemented on the grounds of the grant funding of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan. © 2019 Irina Turgel et al., published by Sciendo 2019.Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of KazakhstanIn the article the issues of establishing and functioning of the zones with special economic activity conditions are addressed and their impact on the environment in Russia and Kazakhstan is assessed. The relevance of the subject of the research is determined, on the one hand, by a qualitative change in the role of the environmental issues in the system of values of population of the post-soviet countries and, on the other hand, by cumulative increase of the negative impact due to the irrational environmental management. Information about the types of special status zones established in these countries is systematized. The key characteristics of these institutional entities are compared, which includes goals and specifics of their development, implemented organizational mechanisms, measures for support of business activities, offered tax incentives and preferences. The authors demonstrate that the adopted accelerated economic growth strategy within the framework of zones with special status is implemented disregarding the environmental effects of their development, which poses serious threats to self-preservation of the society and environment. Common and country-specific risks of functioning of the zones with special economic activity conditions are justified. Factors contributing to inadequate assessment of the negative impact on the environment of industries, created in SEZ were revealed. It is emphasized that the current legal and regulatory framework of these zones in Russia and Kazakhstan is aimed not at the prevention of environmental threats but at the easing of requirements for entities in the field of environmental management. Finally, conclusion is made about the greening opportunities of development of the zones with special economic activity conditions, a necessity to enhance the environmental legislation and mutual “best practices” adoption opportunities in this field in Russia and Kazakhstan. The empirical basis of the analysis is constituted by the results of the studies carried out within the framework of the research work “Enhancement of the State Regulation Policy of Accelerated Clustering of the Industrial Regions” implemented on the grounds of the grant funding of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Analysis of population concentration and economic activity in the largest regional capitals of Russia

This article investigates the changing concentrations of population and economic activity in the largest regional capitals during the socio-economic transformations at the turn of the millennium. The study focuses on million-plus administrative centers of Russian regions (federal subjects). In post-socialist and developing countries, population and economic activities tend to be increasingly concentrated in the regional capitals, which now occupy the leading positions among other second-tier cities in the national settlement system. The authors explore the reasons behind this trend and propose a methodological approach to assess the population concentration and economic activity in the largest regional capitals and compare these figures with those of the national capitals. In the empirical part of the study, the cities’ performance is assessed by applying a set of indicators, such as population size, production output, retail turnover, investment, and construction output, and compared with corresponding figures from Moscow and St. Petersburg. As a result, large regional capitals are classified according to their role in the country’s socio-economic performance and according to the disparities between these cities and Moscow and St. Petersburg. It was found that none of the largest regional capitals are able to compete with the country’s current and former capitals. Moreover, this gap has been widening over the last decade as the role of regional capitals in national economic development has been steadily declining. However, there are some positive dynamics, as some regional capitals have been outperforming the national average in certain spheres of socio-economic development. © 2019, Geographical Institute "Jovan Cviji" of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts. All rights reserved

Strategic management of sustainable development in the Sverdlovsk region

The implementation of the sustainable development goals requires the coordinated activities at all levels of government and administration, including the regional level. The Sverdlovsk Region, one of the leading regions of the Russian Federation, actively uses the mechanisms of the strategic management in making the socio-economic policy, however, the coordination of the traditional strategic priorities and goals of sustainable development of the UN is required. Comparison of the SDGs and strategic policy directions implemented in the Sverdlovsk region made it possible to identify three groups of SDGs: highly reflected in strategic documents, partially implemented and not yet reflected in making a regional strategy. Despite the high level of coordination of the SDGs and the strategic objectives of the region, there are the problematic areas, including the activities to combat poverty and gender policy. © The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2020

The role of industrial factors in socio-economic development of Sichuan Province in the context of 'one belt, one road' initiative

Sichuan Province is an important junction area connecting south-western, north-western and central regions of China. For decades, the socio-economic development of this region has been the focus of major effort on the part of the Chinese government. At the moment, the regional authorities of Sichuan seek to maximize the region’s potential within the framework of the ‘One Belt, One Road’ Initiative. However, despite the abundance of mineral and other natural resources, modern transport infrastructure, and significant GDP growth, the province faces a number of challenges, primarily in the sphere of domestic and international economic cooperation. Sichuan is also suffering from the massive outflow of workforce to other regions and countries. In this article, we discuss the key industrial factors that determine the socio-economic development of Sichuan. Our analysis of the available statistical data has shown that the region’s participation in ‘One Belt, One Road’ Initiative would allow it to strengthen its position on the national and international arena, attract new investors and improve its competitive advantage in comparison with the coastal regions of China. Another viable option for the regional government would be to establish a special economic zone, which means building an appropriate infrastructure or reconstructing the already existing facilities, offering tax-and-tariff incentives, and introducing simplified bureaucratic procedures

Роль индустриальных факторов в социально-экономическом развитии провинции Сычуань в контексте инициативы «Один пояс — один путь»

Sichuan Province is an important junction area connecting south-western, north-western and central regions of China. For decades, the socio-economic development of this region has been the focus of major effort on the part of the Chinese government. At the moment, the regional authorities of Sichuan seek to maximize the region’s potential within the framework of the ‘One Belt, One Road’ Initiative. However, despite the abundance of mineral and other natural resources, modern transport infrastructure, and significant GDP growth, the province faces a number of challenges, primarily in the sphere of domestic and international economic cooperation. Sichuan is also suffering from the massive outflow of workforce to other regions and countries.In this article, we discuss the key industrial factors that determine the socio-economic development of Sichuan. Our analysis of the available statistical data has shown that the region’s participation in ‘One Belt, One Road’ Initiative would allow it to strengthen its position on the national and international arena, attract new investors and improve its competitive advantage in comparison with the coastal regions of China. Another viable option for the regional government would be to establish a special economic zone, which means building an appropriate infrastructure or reconstructing the already existing facilities, offering tax-and-tariff incentives, and introducing simplified bureaucratic procedures.Провинция Сычуань является важным районом, соединяющим юго-западные, северо-западные и центральные районы Китая. На протяжении десятилетий социально-экономическое развитие этого региона было в центре внимания китайского правительства. В настоящий момент, региональные власти провинции Сычуань стремятся максимально использовать потенциал региона в рамках инициативы «Один пояс, один путь». Однако, несмотря на обилие минеральных и других природных ресурсов, современную транспортную инфраструктуру и значительный рост ВРП, перед областью стоит ряд проблем, прежде всего в сфере внутреннего и международного экономического сотрудничества. Сычуань также страдает от массового оттока рабочей силы в другие регионы и страны.В этой статье обсуждаются ключевые промышленные факторы, определяющие социально-экономическое развитие провинции Сычуань. Наш анализ статистических данных показал, что участие региона в инициативе «Один пояс, один путь» позволит ему укрепить свои позиции на национальной и международной арене, привлечь новых инвесторов и улучшить свои конкурентные преимущества по сравнению с прибрежными регионами Китая. Другим жизнеспособным вариантом для регионального правительства было бы создание особой экономической зоны, которая заключается в создании соответствующей инфраструктуры или реконструкции уже существующих объектов, предоставлении налоговых и тарифных стимулов и введении упрощенных бюрократических процедур

The evaluation methodology for the ecological and economic potential of the metallurgical cluster

– The article presents the author's methodology for the formation of a key indicator system for the evaluation of the ecological and economic potential of the metallurgical cluster. This being the case, special attention was paid to the development of an indicator system for evaluating the second-level potentials uniting the environmental and economic components of the integrated study subject. The study aims to develop a comprehensive methodology for evaluating the ecological and economic potential adapted to unique features of the metallurgical cluster of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In preparing the material, the authors used comparative analysis and integral economic and statistical indicator building methods. Individual assessments of the first and second tiers were integrated by calculating criterion integrated indicators. The study concluded that a balanced evaluation of the ecological and economic potential of the metallurgical cluster can be obtained by integrating estimates of second-tier potentials representing the joint influence of a group of enterprises in the metallurgical industrial cluster. The provisions and conclusions of the described paper can be applied by the management of iron and steel companies to justify corporate development programmes, as well as regional authorities to identify areas of investment attractiveness growth of the region. The empirical basis of the analysis was obtained from the results of studies carried out as part of the research work "Improvement of the state policy regulation for accelerated clustering of the industrial regions", executed under grant financing of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan. ©2020 Irina Turgel, Larissa Bozhko, Oleg Bazhenov

GHG Emissions Assessment as Part of MSW Green Cluster Design: Case of Large Cities in Russia and Kazakhstan

The increasing pressure on the environment and the exhaustion of non-renewable natural resources has led to the emergence of a new type of clusters-green clusters. In green clusters, the purpose of combining entities into a cluster is not only to increase their competitiveness, but also to increase the efficiency of using natural resources and reduce the impact on the environment. Companies of various types of activities get united into green clusters; this article considers green clusters in the field of municipal solid waste (MSW) management. The authors described two green clusters in project in the field of MSW management in two large cities-Yekaterinburg (Russia) and Almaty (Kazakhstan). The main difference between these clusters is the ratio between waste management practices. Further, using the IPCC methodology for calculating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the authors analysed GHG emissions per tonne of MSW in both clusters. The calculations have shown that the green cluster of Yekaterinburg is more stable and efficient-the carbon content of 1 tonne of processed MSW in Yekaterinburg is 22.4 % lower than it is in Almaty (329.5 kg CO2eq/tonne of MSW in Yekaterinburg and 424.1 kg CO2eq/tonne of MSW in Almaty). To reduce the MSW green clusters' climatic impact, it is necessary to organize a full-fledged separate collection of different types of waste at the household level; to stimulate waste recycling activities; to reduce the use of non-recyclable packaging, including the implementation of extended producer responsibility; to reduce energy utilization, especially at the waste incineration plants; to stimulate the use of organic waste shredders. The practical examples discussed in this article and the conclusions obtained can be useful to decision makers regarding the design and development of green clusters in the field of MSW management in large cities. The study relies on the research data of the project 'Enhancement of the State Regulation Policy for Intensifying Clusterization of Industrial Regions' supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan. © 2021 Larissa Bozhko et al., published by Sciendo