Problems of socioeconomic development of the districts of the central ecological zone of Lake Baikal in the Irkutsk Region, demographic and environmental factors

Abstract

The article deals with the current demographic, economic, social, and environmental problems of three districts of the Irkutsk Region, which are part of the Central Ecological Zone of the Baikal Natural Territory. The study was conducted using statistical data from the Federal State Statistics Service, articles and monographs on the topic under consideration, data from sociological surveys, mass media, and information obtained during a scientific expedition to Lake Baikal, in which the author participated. The socio-economic development of municipalities within the boundaries of the Central Ecological Zone of Lake Baikal remains difficult due to environmental legislation that restricts the economic development of the territory. The inability to fully use land resources provokes the local population to migrate. Tourism is one of the few economic activities permitted in the coastal area of the Lake Baikal. Despite the growing number of tourists visiting the region every year, the weak level of economic diversification of the municipalities threatens the prospects for sustainable socio-economic development. The region risks losing most of its revenue in the event of political, economic, or epidemiological shocks. The development of other types of economic activities will contribute to the socio-economic security of the areas under consideration. This is also influenced by the demographic potential of the territory – the employment of local residents and the training of personnel will allow us to effectively implement alternative directions of economic development. It is also important to develop other types of economic activities in connection with the negative impact of tourists on the ecosystem of Lake Baikal. The revision of the approaches to the economic, social, and environmental policies carried out in the region is an urgent task today