Estimation of Threats of the Rostov Region Economy Caused by the Collapse in the Azov-Don Water Basin

Abstract

1. Introduction At the current stage of rapidly changing macroeconomic conditions there is a challenge to find an optimal model of strategic development of territorial social and economic systems when the current growth of peoples' life quality does not undermine the ability to ensure that growth in the future. It is actually development, whose concept became widespread in many countries of the world and is accepted as a basis for the activity in many respected international nongovernmental organizations (Akopova et al., 2017; Dzhukha et al., 2107; Medvedeva et al., 2016 and 2015; Kovalenko et al., 2016; Epifanova et al., 2015; Mozylowski and Kalinowska, 2014). It is topical to provide development at the regional level because all three parts of this concept make a unique alloy: social, economic and environmental. These are the regional social and economic systems, where correlated links among natural resource potential, economic growth dynamics and social infrastructure are distinctively manifested. If social and economic development level in the regions can be compared with all-Russian, ecological situation is unique and definitely belongs to a certain territory. In this connection, the regional authorities are to ensure conditions for the development taking into consideration ecological risks and threats due to changes of regional ecosystem as well as complex solutions on protection and rational natural resources use. The objective of this article is the assessment of economic threats which result from the collapse in the Azov-Don Basin manifested in irreversible shallowing of the Don and solemnization of the Taganrog Gulf. This environmental problem has been widely discussed in the scientific community; researches of the Southern Scientific Center RAS are devoted to it, particularly such leading scientists as Matishov (2016) and (2017), Ponomareva E.N. et al., (2014), Kleshenkov A.V. et al., (2014), Chikin A.L. et al., (2014), Berdnikov A.T. et al., (2014), Thalassinos et al., (2012).Without belittling the seriousness of the situation for the entire ecological system of the Rostov region, the article focuses on the economic aspects, assessing the impact of environmental issues on the regional economy and its safe operation. 2. Research, information, empirical and methodological bases of research Due to topicality of the natural and ecological problems in world and national economies, the concept of development, which appeared in the 1970-s, started to be applied everywhere. In this period such problems did not just threaten the humankind, had negative impact on the population health due to the pollution, but naturally deter high pace of growth due to the scarcity of natural resources as well. The involvement of the international community at the state level in the solution of environmental problems usually associated with the holding in 1972 in Stockholm on the UN Human Environment Conference and the creation of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) (5), whose ideology was the motto environment in the interests of development. The development concept was understood as such development of the society that is based on rational, nonexhausting use of nature. Thus, the World Commission on Environment and Development (Commission Brutland, 1987): defines the as Sustainable Development is development that meets the of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (6). According to the UN resolution (7) sustainable development--the development of the society, which allow to satisfy the need of the present generations without prejudicing the opportunities to leave a legacy to future generations to meet their own needs. The development concept in many respects echoes the concept of the noosphere, proposed by the professor of Mathematics Leroy, E. …