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Экономические науки / 13 Региональная экономика

Associate Professor Belay V.I., student Kim V.V.

South-Russia State University of Economics and Service, Russia

THE DEVELOPMENT OF ECO-ECONOMIC SYSTEM OF A REGION AS A STEP TO “THE GREEN ECONOMY”

Eco-economy is a pretty hot topic that disturbs humanity's best minds. The economy which pollutes the environment and consistently leads the world to the ecological disaster should become the eco-economy based on the respect for natural systems. Sooner or later, there must be a transition to the economy with the prefix “eco”; this will help avoid the environmental disasters that have already run a wave around the world.

Eco-economy, or as it is called “the green economy” is a direction in the economic science, which emerged in the last two decades. The economy is considered to be a dependent part of the environment within which it exists. The theory of the green economy is based on three axioms.

• It is impossible infinitely to keep expanding the sphere of influence in a limited space.

• It is impossible to demand satisfaction of infinitely growing requirements in the conditions of scarce natural resources.

• Everything on the surface of the Earth is interconnected.

The concept of "the green economy" also includes the ideas of many other fields in the economic science, related to the problems of sustainable development. The green economy is the clean energy economy. It might include products, processes, and services that reduce environmental impact or improve natural resources use. The green economy should also be able to produce technologies in order to provide cleaner production processes. Proceeding from the concept of "the green economy" we can say that the prevailing economic system is not perfect. Although it has given some results in the increase of the living standards of people in general, and especially the individual groups, the negative consequences of the functioning of this system are significant: these are environmental problems, exhaustion of natural resources, large-scale poverty, shortage of fresh water, food, energy, inequality of people and nations. All this threatens present and future generations. The current economic model is called "the brown economy". In our opinion, the transition from “the brown economy” to “the green one” has become urgent.

Today the world is facing two crises. The financial crisis troubles us more, but aggravating climate change is of great importance as well. The situation can be used for making an attempt to overcome both crises.

The world has fallen into a pattern of unsustainable economic growth. Budgets are being cut. We are likely to have not enough resources to deal with global problems. But the man is a reasonable creature who can and should realize the consequences of wasteful attitude to the environment. The processes of pollution in all spheres necessary for life make the best minds of architects, designers, engineers, and innovators, create projects providing the ecological coexistence of man and the environment. This direction in the construction of ecological homes, neighborhoods and cities, gets the prefix “eco”.

So, going back, we should mention that in the 20th century, more than half of the population of highly industrialized countries has moved from the villages, farms and hamlets to the towns and cities. For the first time in history during a short period the population has turned from rural to urban. The load on the environment of cities has increased substantially. The cities began to choke from industrial and vehicle emissions, jams, congestion, and rivers began to look like dirty vessels with strange liquid. Science fiction writers described mega policies of the future as stone and concrete jungles with roads at the level of the upper floors, with shortage of water and air. And science fiction has become almost completely real.

In response to technological challenges in the developed countries, environmental consciousness has arisen. Smoking pipes are closed with treatment facilities, and the cities are beginning to adapt to humans. In spite of the fact that the process is complicated and expensive, people are making efforts to find the way out.

In the transition to the green economy, it is actually to think about the development of eco-economic system in the regions. The socio-economic development of the region shall be based on the requirements of the Federal Law "On Environmental Protection". It must be complied with the conditions of nature utilization, reducing costs in the production of natural resources; recycling, using a variety of innovative technologies, etc.

Turning to the eco-economy it is necessary to calculate gross domestic product (GDP), taking into account environmental factors, as well as the GDP of the region concerned. At present the current GDP estimates are overestimated, mainly because they do not reflect the "green" factor. In the regions, the GDP can be compared with so-called "ecological GDP".

To determine the level of the region development with the account of environmental indicators a great number of factors, such as the number of environment friendly products, consumed by the population of the region, the level of air pollution, energy efficiency programs and others should be estimated.

On the way to the green economy, there should be a transition of a region after region. It is necessary to develop the economic relations taking into account the nature of environmental regulations. The efforts should be made to stimulate regions to protect the environment and work out the new tendencies of the development of ecological economy. So called “eco-cities” are believed to provide the transition to the green economy.

The concept of "eco-city" appeared in 1987, when an American ecologist and architect Richard Register announced it for the first time. According to A.N. Tetioriona “Eco-city is the city (some cities), built on the principles of sustainability, which is in ecological balance with nature and is not rejected by natural ecosystems, does not pollute the nature and is permeated by green corridors, with niches for wildlife, with green buildings and ecological aspects of all activities of the people in the city with the highest quality of life, a system of environmental education and involvement of all residents in the process of greening their lives and activities”.

A number of environmental projects at different stages of their development are being implemented all over the world.

Staking not on the technological progress, but on the ecology experts are developing a new generation of cities in Sweden, Finland, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Russia and other countries. In China, the authorities are now developing a plan of building a number of high-tech eco-cities - self-contained territorial units – in the Shanghai area.

The main problem of modern urban planning is a shortage of land, so not many countries can afford to occupy new territories. The cities are forced to grow up not outside the city limits, but within them. Eco-cities of the new generation may be “a city within a city.” They are supposed to have various forms: techno polices, or a few multifunctional neighborhoods with modern skyscrapers, which are completed with islands of wildlife, eco-city gardens, parks, and so on. All these innovations are being experimented with.

Along with the mega projects not so big projects are successfully implemented: a few city blocks of old buildings (this may be the historical center), as a rule are given in the disposal of people of creative professions, who are able to design valuable products for the cultural life, recreation, entertainment, and other purposes. There are not many eco-cities which were originally designed to reduce the harmful effects of man on the nature. But any city can and should strive to become more environment friendly and healthy for its inhabitants. One can highlight the main features of an eco-city such as: parks and park areas; energy-efficient infrastructure and transportation; bike paths; green building; rational utilization of garbage and other wastes; reorientation of old buildings to the needs of the city; development and implementation of the environment programs and initiatives at the state and city levels; green standards and regulations for energy use.

Nowadays, a global network of substantially developed eco-communities is being formed. The people in these communities lead a peculiar way of life. The existence of an eco-city or an eco-community means a minimal harmful impact on the ecology, consumption less than the restoration of natural resources, waste recycling and wastewater treatment (for example, to produce biogas and fertilizers), food production and restoration of oxygen in the city (agro skyscrapers, green roofs), water savings, the work of transport with zero emissions (air taxi), the use of renewable energy sources (wind turbines, solar cells).

Last spring a new eco-cities project for Russia was introduced. The presentation was conducted by the International System of Innovative Eco-cities “New World”. They suggested the new way out of the anthropogenic and demographic problems that are relevant throughout the world.

Eco-city ideas permeate the atmosphere of the modern world. Each year, the ecological situation in the world is worsening. People have to think about the concept of developing new cities that can survive due to renewable resources. There are also problems of production and consumption which demand new approaches. Green standards and regulations that stimulate production are normally goals to green the way goods and products are produced by using renewable energy. A growing number of cities are adopting green building regulations. Recycling standards not only help reduce wastes from construction but spur the local recycling industry as well.

It should be noted that more and more researchers speak in favour of supporting local-serving jobs as an economic development strategy. Cities and states are increasingly recognizing the importance of consumption-driven economic development because, for the most part, the policies related to consumption are easier to implement than policies related to production. They play an important role by attracting attention to the environment and thus helping to build the market for green goods and services.

Thus, we can make the conclusion that people should transit to the eco-economy, eco-cities and eco-style way of life first of all in the regions. New green standards, regulations, incentives, marketing programs can help spur the green economy but local economic development should be supported by the central government. The environmental aspect is becoming increasingly important. It is necessary to concentrate all forces and unite all countries for the development of the eco-economy.