Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues is a peer-reviewed journal which publishes original research papers and case studies

The formation of a competitive tourist space in the Arctic regions is expedient from the standpoint of diversification of predominantly single-industry local economies and increasing the socio-economic sustainability of local communities. However, it is extremely important that the measures aimed at achieving these effects are correlated with the ecological and social context of the territories and, fully using their existing potential, do not lead to an aggravation of ecological and economic risks. The purpose of this work was to assess the prerequisites for the development of eco-tourism in the example of the Arctic region and economically related territories and consider the possibilities of forming ecotourism zones. Based on statistical data, cartographic materials, and content analysis of semi-formalized interviews of experts, this work investigated the current level of socio-economic development of the Karelian Arctic, the existing tourist infrastructure, natural, and cultural-historical objects. Strengths and constraints of eco-tourism development are emphasized. A number of innovative tools and approaches for the development of ecological tourism in the Karelian Arctic were proposed, the introduction of which will increase the tourist attractiveness of the territory, and ensure its sustainable development by reducing negative environmental impacts and depopulation.

Due to the depletion of traditional energy sources, the rising costs of their operation and the need to transition to a sustainable economy, it becomes relevant to increase the share of renewable energy sources in total consumption. The purpose of this study is to determine the role of renewable energy and the establishment of factors determining pro-environmental behavior. The data of the author’s sociological survey of the population of the Arctic regions of Russia and methods of descriptive statistics were used, and regression analysis was carried out. The study shows the ecological and energy characteristics of the Arctic regions of Russia. The main advantages and possibilities of transition to renewable energy sources have been identified. A relationship has been established between the degree of involvement in pro-environmental behavior and knowledge about renewable energy, the perceived importance of environmental problems, age, income, education, amount of waste produced and current electricity costs. It is shown that the degree of involvement in pro-environmental behavior affects the willingness to pay more for renewable energy. A number of institutional measures to promote renewable energy, increase willingness to pay for renewable energy and spread pro-environmental behavior are proposed.

Introduction: the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation is a territory of major economic and geostrategic importance for the country. The growth of conflict potential in the region is accompanied by the rising importance of control over the Arctic space, which is completely impossible without overcoming its extreme economic sparseness, negative depopulation processes, as well as ensuring connectivity through the development of infrastructure projects. In conditions of economic instability, these tasks become an urgent challenge for government bodies requiring a critical analysis of regulating the Arctic macro-region spatial development. Objectives: to identify trends in the implementation of state regulation mechanisms for economic development of the Russian Arctic. Methods: dialectical and formal-logical approaches, retrospective analysis, tabular and index methods, data grouping methods. Results: the interrelated process of the evolution of spatial mechanisms and legal support for the development of the Arctic zone of Russian Federation was analyzed. The latest instruments for spatial development have been considered, namely, support zones for the development of the Russian Arctic and preferential treatment of entrepreneurial activity in the Arctic territories. The leading regions have been identified, i.e., those characterized by the most pronounced positive trends in the implementation of the preferential treatment. Conclusions: the support zones subprogram remained in fact a concept without clear mechanisms to put it into practice, while the preferential treatment of entrepreneurial activity, coming as a replacement, on the contrary, does not have a well-developed concept, but contains specific mechanisms for its implementation. Co-organization of the preferential regime of entrepreneurial activity, the regimes of the territories of advanced socio-economic development and the free port seems to be appropriate within the framework of an improved conceptual approach to managing the spatial development of the Russian Arctic.

The paper has studied the change in the electric intensity of the Russian economy over the past 25 years. Equations have been constructed that correlate the electricity consumption with GDP (GVA for...

The preferential regime of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation is the latest regulatory mechanism designed to overcome negative socio-economic trends in the macroregion. The accumulated factual data over the three-year period of this work have made it possible to make the first reasonable estimates of its effects on the regional economy. The purpose of this study is to investigate the presence of transformational changes in the relationship between employment and investment due to the introduction of the preferential regime for key sectors in the regions that are fully or partially included in the Russian Arctic. The relationship between investment and employment in regional industries was studied using least squares regression analysis using Advanced Grapher 2.2 software. The results show, firstly, significant differences in trends in the implementation of preferential treatment: increased economic specialization of some regions and diversification of the economies of other regions. Secondly, there is a slowdown in the emergence of new projects. Thirdly, the markedly different employment effects across industries and regions of the Russian Arctic, as well as the changing nature of the relationship between investment and employment, require a significant revision of regulatory measures and economic policies to maximize regime effects and achieve sustainable long-term regional development.