Ecological innovations for regional sustainable development: an empirical study

Perm State National Research University, 15, Bukireva St., Perm, 614990, Russian Federation

^* Corresponding author: kurganovma@gmail.com

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of sustainable regional development from the perspective of the value-driven approach and the assessment of the environmental innovations impact on the sustainability of the regional development. The methodological framework included the sustainable development concept, the main provisions of the regional economy, the rational use of natural resources principles and the value-driven management. The study determined the level of realization of the values and interests of the population, the business community and authorities in the economic, environmental and social spheres. It has been established that achieving sustainable development goals at the regional level requires reducing the environmental intensity of enterprises, reducing the volume of pollution of the atmosphere and water resources, as well as the volume of generated production and consumption waste. The regional environmental innovations implementation is considered the main driver of positive changes in the field of natural resource management and environmental protection. Using econometric modeling, an assessment was made of the impact of environmental innovations and factors of the regional environment on the level of realization of the sustainable development values in the context of key stakeholders of the territories and the degree of coordination of their interests, as well as on key indicators of the economic activity. The environmental innovations importance in the regional sustainable development is mathematically proved and the environmental innovations specificity in the context of improving regional policy is characterized.