Socio-ecological and economic balance of North Caucasus region

Abstract

The article contains the results of the research on the possibility to achieve the socio-ecological and economic balance in the regions of the North Caucasus federal district of Russia in case of developing renewable source energy and maintaining the carbon cycle in landscapes. The balanced level is determined by the special indicator, the value of which depends on the ratio of the capacity of region’s technosphere to the assimilation potential of its ecosystems expressed in energy indicators. The evaluation also determines whether the carbon cycle of the regions is being maintained or violated in the process of agricultural activities. The findings show that the general value of indicator of the district balance is 8.81, which is considerably higher than one and signals about the imbalance. The socio-ecological and economic imbalance is a characteristic of all seven regions in the district. To achieve the balance the energy balance of each region needs to increase the share of renewable energy industry up to 85-94%, on average up to 89% in the district. The necessity to maintain the carbon cycle forces to provide 28380 sq. km of the territories of the North Caucasus federal district with the specific status. These territories are mainly steppe ecosystems and put together up to 16.6% of the whole district territory.