On the issue of assessing the ecological condition of the environment to achieve sustainable development of coal-mining regions of Russia

Introduction. In conditions when the environmental component acts as a priority direction for the development of regions, the assessment of the actual ecological condition of the environment is an important stage in the development and implementation of a sustainable development strategy. This is especially true for coal-mining regions, which are characterized by a significant negative impact on all components of the environment. Purpose of research. Conducting a comparative analysis of determining the level of environmental safety of the territory based on a comparison of its ecological capacity and the actual anthropogenic load of environmental components of coal-mining regions, as well as the methodology for assigning an ESG rating. Methodology. The research methodology is based on methods of analysis, synthesis, abstraction, deduction, etc. Results and discussion. An analysis of the Russian and international methodology for assessing the ecological state of territories shows that different approaches are used both in our country and abroad. In recent years, environmental assessment has also been carried out by rating agencies as part of the creation of an ESG rating of the regions of the Russian Federation. The study was conducted for the largest coal–mining subjects of the Russian Federation – the Kemerovo Region, the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia. The assessment of the ecological condition of these regions was carried out in two ways. In accordance with the first approach, based on a comparison of the ecological capacity and the actual technogenic load of the territory, environmental safety in the Kemerovo region is assessed as an environmental disaster, in the Krasnoyarsk Territory – an environmental norm, in the Republic of Khakassia there is an environmental crisis. Despite the fact that according to the results obtained by the first approach, the Kemerovo Region is in an environmental disaster zone, according to the second approach, based on the formation of an ESG rating, it has the highest E-rating, while the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia have a sufficient one. It should be noted that the E-rating does not take into account the ecological capacity of the territory and does not reflect the actual environmental burden in the region. According to the authors, in order to reflect the real ecological condition of the region, it is necessary not only to take into account the dynamics of environmental impact, but also to compare the level of this impact with the ecological capacity of the territory. Ratings developed for the purpose of ecooriented management of regions do not fully meet the existing situation in the regions due to a simplified scoring system. Conclusions. The assessment of the ecological condition of three large coal-mining regions by different approaches shows contradictory results. The necessity of developing a unified methodology for a Complex estimationof the ecological condition of the environment in the region, taking into account the actual state of the region, its ecological capacity and the work of authorities in the field of environmental protection, is shown.