Environmental and Economic Trends in the Baikal Region and the Far East During a Period of Institutional Changes

ABSTRACT This article studies the dynamics of environmental and economic development in the constituent entities of the Far East and Baikal region during the formation of new institutions in the country’s East. Economic development and environmental pressure per capita in 2009–2012 and 2012–2016 were calculated for each region and the Russian Federation. In addition, a decoupling index was calculated to detect the discrepancy between the economic growth rate and rate of environmental pollution in the regions under analysis. This study uncovered disparities in the environmental and economic development of the regions of the Russian Federation’s East. In 2016, there was an almost fivefold difference between the maximum and minimum values of the territories’ GRP [gross regional product] per capita. A marked gap in negative environmental impact is also noted. It is established that in most eastern regions, a decoupling effect is evident in the discharge of polluted wastewater and emissions of air pollutants from stationary sources. Finally, it is concluded that the institutional decisions made in accordance with the Far East’s new model of development have not yet had a noticeable positive effect on the environmental and economic indicators of the designated territories.