On the Feasibility of Using the Environmental Performance Index to Assess the Level of Socio-ecological Development of Russian Regions

Introduction: Investment decisions by many private and institutional investors are made taking into account the information (current estimates, forecasts, trends) contained in various country ratings regularly published by leading international financial and regulatory organizations (IMF, IBRD, UN), which allows investors to assess the level of risk and return on investment in various projects in these countries. The article evaluates the Environmental Performance Index (EPI), the most common in international studies, from the point of view of its use as a comprehensive tool for comparative analysis and an indicator for assessing the success of achieving the goals of sustainable social and environmental development of Russian regions. Purpose: Analysis of the feasibility of using EPI and its individual elements as part of an integrated approach to assessing the effectiveness of social and environmental development of Russia and its regions. Results: The authors reviewed the transformation of the methodology for calculating EPI over the entire period of its compilation; analyzed the dynamics of indicators, directions and blocks that make up the Index; assessed their adequacy to the geographical and sectoral features of social and environmental development. Conclusions: An extremely high level of politicization of the Index and inconsistency of its calculation methodology with the real conditions of Russia’s economic development were revealed. The inexpediency of its use in the present conditions to assess the social and environmental development of Russian regions, to build a rating of their sustainable development, to develop criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of environmental programs and projects, including in the field of green and environmental investments, was proved.