Environmental consequences of the crises in the Russian economy of the post-soviet period: regional projection

Abstract

The economic crises influence in post-Soviet history on the ecological situation is multidirectional and unevenly revealed in the regions. During crises periods, the dependence of pollution indicators on changes in GDP (GRP) and industrial production is higher than over economic growth periods. During the crises’ times, industrial pollution decreases, the emissions volume into the atmosphere and polluted wastewater decreases, and less to extent water consumption. On the other hand, emissions from vehicles, the toxic waste volume, the disturbed lands’ area and forest fires do not depend on changes in GRP. Only specific parameters of pollution increase during crises periods. The anthropogenic impact integral index is less dependent on the GRP dynamics than individual indicators of the load on the environment. With a general trend towards a decrease in environmental tension, the group of regions with a critical impact level is characterized by the greatest stability. On the contrary, a regions group with an insignificant pressure level on the environment is shrinking. Differences in the sanitizing role of crises are due to the duration, depth and structural features, as well as the government support measures mitigating effect. The systemic crisis of the 1990s led to a reduction in all indicators, affecting 90% of regions. Financial 1998 and 2008 crises affect 70% of regions; recent crises refer to 30-60% of regions. Despite that for the whole country, the pollution level dependence on the level and dynamics of economic development is weakening, with each new crisis the number of regions where the environmental situation continues to worsen increases, in spite of the economic downturn.