Regional Development Research Articles

A nexus between regional welfare and sustainable development: A conceptual model

The relevance of the research stems from the nature of the approaches to the definition and measurement of regional welfare still debated in the extant research. Particular importance attached to this problem is related to the concept of sustainable development, which centres on promoting prosperity while protecting the planet. The paper aims to form an original theoretical model depicting the mutual influence of sustainable regional development and regional welfare. The fundamental propositions of the concept of sustainable development and welfare economics, as well as regional and spatial development theories constitute the methodological basis of the study. The methods used are comparative analysis, synthesis, and conceptual modelling. The findings confirm that regional welfare acts simultaneously as a target due to having the elements identical to the spheres of sustainable development in its struc ture, and as the key factor in the sustainable regional development due to incorporat ing a set of material and non-material, economic and non-economic goods, which build up the economic, social, environmental, and institutional elements ensuring an incessant process of changes in the regional socio-ecological-economic system impacted by interregional, national and international factors of external environment of a region. The proposed conceptual model advances scientific ideas about the main tenance of sustainable regional development, contributes to the theory of welfare, and creates a basis for devising a method to measure regional welfare.

Digital technologies in territorial development: Opportunities and challenges of application in state and municipal administration

Digital technologies are introduced into state and municipal administration with a view of strengthening interaction of authorities of different levels with each other and the population, as well as increasing the speed and quality of decision-making. At the same time, digital transformation processes at regional and municipal levels are highly differentiated. The paper delves into theoretical, methodological and practical aspects of the use of digital technologies in territorial development and looks at oppor tunities for their application in state and municipal administration. Methodologically, the study rests on the theories of regional growth and strategic management, spatial theory, and the concept of digital society. Synthesis, data analysis, visualization, and ex pert assessment are applied as research methods. Empirical data are retrieved from the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) and regulatory documents on the development of the RF subjects. Our study confirms that digitalization is becoming a critical factor in long-term territorial development. We have systematized the types of digital technologies employed in governance processes and revealed that their use by state authorities and local self-governments (SAs and LSGs) is highly differentiated. The Ural and Central Federal Districts are leaders in the use of digital technologies. The findings indicate the need for cultivating mutual consistency and integration of digital transformation strategies and regional development strategies. To ensure effective digitalization of territories at different levels, it is necessary to define the boundaries and standards for the use of digital technologies, develop technical com petencies of decision-makers, guarantee information security and protection of personal data, and reduce fraud risk.

Compositional methodology for conducting the research of municipalities’ economic development

At present, the scientific paradigm of municipal economics is being formed, different theories and concepts related to municipal research are being studied and discussed. Therefore, there is a need for a relevant methodology to investigate the economic development of municipalities. Science has established certain approaches to explore the issues of municipal economy, yet the extension of the subject of re gional and municipal economics stimulates the proposal of the new ones. The paper aims to validate a new compositional methodology for conducting the research of municipalities’ economic development. The methodological basis of the study con sists of the theories of regional development, the paradigm of municipal economics, as well as the spatial, evolutionary and systems approaches. The paper relies on a host of general scientific methods including reviewing, comparative analysis, and system atisation. Based on revealing the essence of the term “composition” and presenting the arguments confirming the appropriateness of using it in the regional economics discourse the authors formulate the principles of the compositional methodological approach to the research of municipalities’ economic development, which include the principles of equipoise, dynamism, unity and subordination, integrity, harmony. The compositional methodological approach benefits from the three underlying meth odologies: spatio-temporal, evolutionary, and systems ones, the application of which in the aggregate allows conceptualising the basic propositions for the research of the municipalities’ economic development through the principles of composition. The developed original approach will help create a methodological foundation for inves tigating the municipalities’ economic development in conditions of a new axiological paradigm emerging in society.

Relative forces of anthropogenic and natural factors on the evolution of "ecological cancer"-rocky desertification under different man-land relationships.

Rocky desertification (RD) is a severe phenomenon in karst areas, often referred to as "ecological cancer." However, studies on RD rarely include comparative analysis of different man-land relationship areas. This lack of analysis leads to difficulties in preventing and controlling RD in local areas with complex man-land relationships. To address this issue, we selected two typical karst areas, Guangnan County (with subtropical humid and agricultural peak-valley area) and Yulong County (with temperate semi-arid and ecological tourism alpine-canyon area), as comparative research areas. We analyzed the evolution of RD in these two typical areas and revealed the relative forces of anthropogenic and natural factors on RD at both a single and comprehensive level by using the geographical detector and the coupled principal component-structural equation model. The study found that (1) the RD in Yulong County was more severe than that in Guangnan County. From 2010 to 2020, RD in both counties showed a positive succession trends. The RD has a high degree of spatial fragmentation, and spatial evolution usually occurs in areas where the man-land relationship is complex. (2) In terms of single factor, the RD in the two counties was mainly affected by anthropogenic factors such as control, farming, behavioral disturbance, and social economy, and natural factors such as geology, soil, topography, and surface state. (3) Comprehensive effects show that forces of anthropogenic vs natural factors on formation/evolution of RD are different between Guangnan County (0.36 for anthropogenic factor vs -0.64 for natural factor) and Yulong County (higher with anthropogenic: 0.44 vs natural: 0.89). (4) Differentiated strategies should be adopted due to role played by anthropogenic and natural factors across different man-land relationship areas to explore suitable control measures for RD. The research creates a scientific basis for the control of RD, ecological restoration, and sustainable development in various regions. It can also be utilized as a valuable reference for comparative analysis of similar geographical phenomena.

The Importance of Health Education and Prevention in the Fight against Caries in the Preschool Period

The paper focuses on the influence of various factors causing caries in preschool children. The legal-formal rights in the field of primary dental care and medical and pedagogical caries prevention are analysed, as is the influence of professionals in the kindergarten and the family on the reduction of caries. With the help of data from the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia (ZZZS), the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on the scope of preventive and curative dental services is determined in a group of preschool children according to individual statistical regions in Slovenia, as is the relationship between the impact of the epidemic on the scope of dental services in the group of preschool children in relation to the economic development of an individual region. The interruption of dental services during the epidemic was so extensive that the consequences will last several years. Preventive services are an integral part of the rights derived from compulsory health insurance; therefore, raising awareness and teaching children about the healthy foundations of life is important.

Driving regional advancement: exploring the impact of science and technology parks in the outermost regions of Europe

PurposeEurope’s outermost regions are often geographically isolated, and they face challenges when it comes to fostering innovation. This study aims to evaluate the impact of Science and Technology Parks (STPs) on the stimulation of innovation performance and the regional development of innovation in the outermost European regions. This study contributes to the development and interpretation of STP literature, which is especially relevant for policymakers operating within these regions.Design/methodology/approachWe collected the data from six Regional Innovation Scoreboard reports (RIS, 2012; RIS, 2014; RIS, 2016; RIS, 2017; RIS, 2019; and RIS 2021), available at https://ec.europa.eu, for the following outermost regions of Europe: the Autonomous Regions of Azores and Madeira (Portugal), the Canary Islands (Spain) and the Outermost Regions of France, which encompass Martinique, Mayotte, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Saint-Martin and Reunion Island.FindingsThe results demonstrate that, for STPs to positively impact regional policies for innovation and regional development, policymakers must make significant investments into research and development (R&D). The outermost European regions display characteristics that negatively affect innovation performance and regional development. Furthermore, we found that innovative products and services are negatively affected by these regions, as they deploy only a limited number of resources. We also conclude that the impact of STPs on the outermost European regions depends on the policies of regional governments. STPs represent important inputs to formulating and implementing innovation strategies for regional development.Research limitations/implicationsThis study has some limitations. This research only analyses the European Union's (EU’s) outermost regions, and we have only included data extracted from the Regional Innovation Scoreboard from 2007 to 2021. Disaggregated data for the five outermost regions in France was not available. This would have increased the sample and made the results even more robust, had the information been available.Practical implicationsThe results propose that regional actors in the outermost regions (industry–government–academia) better articulate their resources (which are more scarce) and their priorities with regard to Science, Technology and Innovation, thus accelerating innovation and development of their regions.Originality/valueIn this panel data study, we adopt a methodology that enables the evaluation of STP performance under different levels of intensity of gross domestic expenditure on research and development activities in the context of the RIS. In this study, the RIS refers to the peripheral regions of the EU. This study therefore aims to evaluate the impact of STPs in stimulating innovation performance and regional development in the outermost regions of Europe.

Determination of Location Quotient of Organic Agriculture in Türkiye

The main objective of the study is to determine in which provinces organic agriculture is clustered in Türkiye. Location quotient is one of the most widely used indices in regional concentration measurements and expresses the degree of specialization of a certain production activity within a country/region/sector or the relative concentration of a certain production activity in a certain region. In this direction, within the scope of the study, it is aimed to determine the location quotient of organic agriculture, which provides competitive advantage throughout Türkiye, and it is envisaged to determine the location quotient in this direction. In determining the location quotient, the amount of production, which is one of the best indicators of economic performance, was used. As a matter of fact, the amount of production is the most important indicator showing which production activity is more dominant and the location quotient to be calculated takes a value between 0 and infinity (∞). If the relevant production activity has a score greater than 1, it indicates that the activity is the main production activity that is concentrated/specialised in the region. However, if the score is less than 1, it indicates that the activity is a local one that is not sufficiently concentrated/specialised in the region. Following the analysis, Eastern Anatolia and Central Anatolia are the regions with the highest concentration of organic agriculture production. The top 10 provinces with the most concentrated organic agriculture production are Van (7), Ağrı (6), Ankara (6), Bayburt (6), Erzurum (6), Çanakkale (5), Kars (5), Muş (5), Niğde and Sivas. The most widely produced crops are alfalfa (18), wheat (16), tomato (15), apple (14), maize (12), barley (12), hazelnut (9), sainfoin (9), olive (9), oat (9) and vetch (9). Localized and intensified organic farming systems have proven effective in generating high income per unit of land, optimizing agricultural land utilization, and ensuring sustainability. They also provide specialized labour forces, sector-specific inputs, and the use of advanced technologies. Therefore, it is believed that the formations will enhance the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of the region by increasing productivity and promoting the growth of organic agriculture. This will lead to significant benefits for the region's development.

Unbalanced rural development in underdeveloped areas: rurality and human settlements

IntroductionThe continuous migration of rural populations to urban areas poses a significant threat to food production and sustainable development in underdeveloped regions. Consequently, planning farmers’ livelihoods and optimizing their living environments are crucial for addressing rural challenges. Rurality represents the fundamental attributes of the countryside, serving as an accurate measure of the stages and characteristics of rural development and providing valuable support for policy formulation.MethodsIn this study, 87 counties (districts) in Gansu Province were selected as samples to construct and evaluate a rurality evaluation index system. The Geographical Detector Model and Pearson’s correlation analysis were applied to examine the relationship between the rurality index and key factors of the human settlement environment and identify pathways for rural development.ResultsThe findings demonstrated that the rurality index effectively reflects the spatiotemporal patterns of rural development, demonstrating a steady increase from west to east across Gansu Province. Various human settlement factors influence the spatial distribution of the rurality index, with humanities factors emerging as the primary drivers. Based on their dominant factors, the counties in Gansu Province were categorized into three groups for policy formulation: external economy-driven rural areas, endogenous resource-driven rural areas, and location-constrained rural areas.DiscussionHowever, it was also recognized that the rurality index alone does not comprehensively capture the current state of rural agricultural development. To propose effective, regional, and integrated rural development policies for underdeveloped areas, it is essential to combine agricultural development policies with an analysis of the existing rural living environment.

A Framework for Developing Biodiversity Conservation Networks Based on Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis and the Maximum Entropy Model: A Case Study of the Jianghan Plain, China

Constructing ecological networks in urban areas improves ecosystem stability and biodiversity protection. However, most studies focus on optimizing ecological environments through objective assessments, often neglecting species diversity. This study developed a biodiversity grading framework for the Jianghan Plain using species observation and ecosystem diversity data. Supported by ArcGIS, ecological sources were identified via MSPA and graded using the Guidelines and MaxEnt model. The MCR model was used to simulate connectivity barriers between ecological sources and calculate the minimum cumulative resistance distance, thereby generating corridors and ultimately constructing a hierarchical biodiversity conservation network for the Jianghan Plain. Our findings indicated the following: (1) The Jianghan Plain hosts 21 major ecological sources, primarily natural water bodies at the plain’s edge, which can be classified into five primary and 16 secondary sources based on biodiversity grades. (2) The recessive corridors, comprising 10 primary and 95 secondary ones, are mainly concentrated in the central Jianghan Plain, with primary corridors located centrally and westward, characterized by a large overall span. (3) Changhu Lake and Honghu Lake, two critical water bodies with high-quality habitats and significant biodiversity, were identified as key ecological nodes from the ecological sources, bridging and guiding the central and southern corridors. (4) Based on the ecological network distribution and key nodes and corridors, a “three zones, three belts, and two points” strategy was proposed for optimizing the Jianghan Plain’s ecological network. This study provides a novel framework and theoretical support for regional habitat, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development.

Energy efficient green building design utlilising renewable energy and low-carbon development technologies

The core issue these days is to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emission and prevent the hole in the ozone layer. Numerous emerging environmental crises successfully tackled by coordinated global efforts in the past few years. Despite this, the present climate emergency is a much more serious threat than anything we have ever encountered and requires much more action consequently. Today, more attention is paid on green buildings in the society, which will make the use of sustainable buildings for the entire life cycle a necessity for future generations. Hence, this paper proposes a novel design model of an energy-efficient residential green building with low carbon emissions to maintain the health and enhances the productivity and living standards of inhabitants. Green building technology is utilized to enhance energy efficiency and lower carbon emissions. This design considers green, recyclable, and eco-friendly building materials, which are beneficial for human health and comply with relevant Indian standards and building codes. This building design proposes renewable energy sources (RES) integrated with the power grid, although RES powers most of the load of the green building. The proposed green building design shows effective results, i.e., building energy consumption has reduced by 50.54%, total energy consumption cost has reduced by 57.41%, and CO2 emission per month has reduced by 50.54%. In addition, stormwater-harvesting system is proposed to collect 54322.23 litres of rainwater annually, which helps in water conservation and contributes to improving the groundwater level. The proposed solid waste management plan has contributed to the achievement of regional and national Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Finally, there are some suggestions to promote the use of green buildings for sustainable development.

Decoupling evolution of water footprint of energy and its driving factors: Evidence from Northeast China.

Energy and water are interlinked and inseparable resources of vital importance to the survival and development of human society. Exploring the relationship between energy and water is of great practical significance for the sustainable development of resources. The uneven regional distribution of energy and water in China has exacerbated energy-related water shortages. Base on the water footprint of energy (WFE), this paper takes Northeast China, the old industrial base, as the research object, and explores the regional distribution characteristics and development trend of WFE, so as to provide quantitative basis for the development of regional energy transformation in coordination with energy and water. This study uses the ISO model and the decoupling model, and analyzes the spatial and temporal changes in the water footprint (WF) of energies and the decoupling effects in Northeast China from the perspective of energy production. The findings show: (1) the WFE grew slowly, and the WF of power gradually exceeded that of fossil energy; (2) the spatial distribution of WFE was unbalanced, with higher WF of fossil energy in Heilongjiang and higher WF of power in Jilin and Liaoning; (3) the decoupling status of WFE from GDP was better than that of WFE from total water consumption. This study also analyzes the driving factors of indicators of water endowment, economic development, energy consumption, environmental governance and life quality, on the WFE based on the Lasso model, and provide policy implications for the coordinated development of energy and water in Northeast China.

Assessing the Coordination Development Level of Agricultural Economy and Ecology in China: Regional Disparities, Dynamics, and Barriers

Achieving sustainable rural development in China requires effectively integrating agricultural growth with ecological balance. However, existing research on the coordination between agricultural economy and ecosystems has often focused on isolated aspects, such as economic growth or ecological sustainability, or has been limited to specific provinces or regions, lacking a comprehensive nationwide analysis. To address this gap, this study uses spatial data from 31 provincial-level regions in China from 2008 to 2022, developing a multidimensional framework that encompasses economic input, structure, efficiency, benefits, vitality, ecological conditions, and pressure. Using multi-factor econometric methods, we comprehensively evaluate the coordination between China’s agricultural economy and ecosystems, revealing regional disparities and spatiotemporal variations in their coupling coordination, and analyzing the barriers affecting this coordination. Our findings show that: First, coupling coordination has steadily improved, narrowing regional disparities. Second, regional differences are primarily driven by variations between the eastern, central, and western regions, with structural disparities shifting from interregional to hyper-variable density. Third, development exhibits a “club convergence” pattern, where upward transitions are difficult and downward mobility is a risk. Key barriers include farmland scale, land efficiency, afforestation area, and soil erosion control. Based on these findings, we recommend regional development strategies, dynamic monitoring mechanisms, optimized land use, and enhanced ecological protection. This study provides valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners to promote the coordinated and sustainable development of agricultural economies and ecosystems in China.

Exploring the impact and mechanisms of digital finance on regional financial development in China

ABSTRACT This study investigates the effects and mechanisms of digital finance on regional financial development in China. Using panel data from 31 provinces spanning 2009 to 2022, we employ the System Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimator within a dynamic panel model framework. Our findings indicate a significant positive impact of digital finance on regional financial development, particularly in provinces with higher levels of digital finance adoption. Further analysis reveals that digital finance promotes regional financial development by facilitating digital technology implementation and fostering regional innovation.

Fast Expansion of Surface Water Extent in Coastal Chinese Mainland from the 1980s to 2020 Based on Remote Sensing Monitoring

High-resolution satellite imagery providing long-term, continuous information on surface water extent in highly developed regions is paramount for elucidating the spatiotemporal dynamics of water bodies. The landscape of water bodies is a key indicator of water quality and ecological services. In this study, we analyzed surface water dynamics, including rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, using Landsat images spanning from the 1980s to 2020, with a focus on the highly developed Coastal Chinese Mainland (CCM) region. Our objectives were to investigate the temporal and spatial variations in surface water area extent and landscape characteristics, to explore the driving forces behind these variations, to gain insights into the complex interactions between water bodies and evolving environmental conditions, and ultimately to support sustainable development in coastal regions. Our findings revealed that reservoirs constitute the largest proportion of surface water, while lakes occupy the smallest share. Notably, a trend of expansion in surface water extent in the CCM was observed, mainly from the construction of new reservoirs. These reservoirs primarily gained new areas from agricultural land and river floodplains in the early stages (1980s–2000), while a greater proportion of construction land was encroached upon by reservoirs in later periods (2001–2020). At the landscape level, a tendency toward fragmentation and complexity in surface water, particularly in reservoirs, was evident. Human interference, particularly urbanization, played a pivotal role in driving the expansion of water surfaces. While reservoir construction benefits water resource assurance, flood control, and prevention, it also poses eco-hydrological challenges, including water quality deterioration, reduced hydrological connectivity, and aquatic ecosystem degradation. The findings of this study provide essential data support for sustainable water resource development. These insights underscore the urgency and importance of integrated water resource management strategies, particularly in efforts aimed at conservation and restoration of natural water bodies and the scientific regulation of artificial water bodies. Balancing human development needs with the preservation of ecological integrity is crucial to facilitating a water resource management strategy that integrates climatic and socio-economic dimensions, ensuring sustainable water use and protection for future generations.

A COMPARISON OF LOGISTIC REGRESSION, MIXED LOGISTIC REGRESSION, AND GEOGRAPHICALLY WEIGHTED LOGISTIC REGRESSION ON PUBLIC HEALTH DEVELOPMENT IN JAVA

The Public Health Development Index (Indeks Pembangunan Kesehatan Masyarakat - IPKM) is a combined parameter that reflects progress in health development and is useful for determining areas that need assistance in improving health development. Through IPKM modeling, factors that significantly influence regional public health development can be discovered. This research aims to find an appropriate model for modeling IPKM and determine the factors that significantly influence public health development. The data used is the 2018 IPKM data collected from 119 cities/regencies in Java. We propose three models namely logistic regression (LR), mixed logistic regression (MLR), and geographically weighted logistic regression (GWLR). The research results show that the MLR is the best model for modeling IPKM in Java based on the AIC value criteria. Based on the MLR model, the factors that have a significant influence on public health development are the egg and milk consumption level and the percentage of the number of doctors per thousand population.

Measurement and evaluation of low-carbon tourism development on islands: A case study in Changdao, China.

China's island tourism is still in the exploratory stage, and the carbon emissions due to island tourism development are still prominent. This study assesses the development of low-carbon tourism on Changdao Island in China. We constructed an evaluation model for low-carbon tourism on islands based on the driver-pressure-state-impact-response model, and the Entropy Weight Method-Analytical Hierarchy Process Method was combined with the weighting method to determine the index weights of ench evaluation-indicator. The annual changes in the development level of low-carbon tourism, the weights of the indicators, the characteristics of the scores, the low-carbon development mode, and key factors of island tourism were analyzed. The results of the study showed that the indicator "impact" was the most influential element of the island's low-carbon tourism, and the ecological environment value was higher than that of the economic value. Moreover, energy saving and consumption reduction helped tourists to have a better experience, which further enabled island tourism to have a larger market size. The "response" also occupied a crucial position, where the weighted value of government planning was twice as high as that of corporate practice. The other elements were "pressure", "state", and "driving forces", which showed that low carbon emissions are an important criterion for the island tourism environment and economic factors have the greatest effect in terms of the "driving forces". The study evaluated the level of low-carbon development in island regionals across multiple dimensions, filled the literature gap, and provided a reference for the study of regional low-carbon and sustainable development of tourism.

Evaluating the impact of high-speed rail on local tourism economy in China: A quasi-natural experiment

In the context of the green transformation, the tourism economy, as a model of the high-quality service industry, is the key driving force for regional economic growth. The high-speed rail (HSR) has rapidly expanded in China, which has a substantial impact on the tourism economies of cities along these routes. The importance of this study is that it highlights the economic impact of HSR on tourism, and it provides a new perspective on understanding how HSR shapes regional development. This study leverages the staggered differences-in-differences (DiD) method to assess HSR’s impact on local tourism economic development by treating its introduction as a quasi-natural experiment. Panel data from 348 prefectural-level cities in China spanning the period from 2007 to 2020 were collected. The findings indicate that HSR’s introduction significantly promotes the local economic growth of tourism, with the most pronounced effects observed in western cities, which are followed by cities in the central region. However, HSR’s impact on cities in the eastern region is not statistically significant. Furthermore, HSR’s positive impact on tourism is more substantial in larger cities. To fully harness the potential of HSR in fostering local tourism economic development, cities along the routes should optimize the integration of transportation infrastructure, implement differentiated tourism strategies, and enhance regional cooperation. Tailored tourism development strategies should be advocated, catering to the distinct needs of regions and cities with varying scales. These measures are essential for improving the quality of tourism services, increasing tourism attraction, and achieving mutually beneficial development across regions.

WHAT DETERMINES THE WELL-BEING OF THE DOMESTIC GAS INDUSTRY TODAY?

This article presents the results of the analysis of the economic state of the domestic gas industry, including the activities of the flagship of the country’s fuel and energy complex, the Public Joint Stock Company Gazprom Group of Companies. The authors consider the problems of reorientation of gas raw material exports to the East, issues of creating a liquefied natural gas complex, an icebreaker fleet for transporting LNG to old and new areas and sales points. Another issue under consideration are the difficulties of implementing the state target program of social gasification and pre-gasification of Russian territories. A separate long-term problem is the search for methods of circumventing sanctions and restrictions from the collective West against sectors of the Russian economy. The purpose of this study is a comprehensive assessment of the implementation of state programs for regional development based on the industrial use of hydrocarbon raw materials, including the social gasification / pre-gasification program in the constituent entities of the Federation. Research tools used in this study include activity comparativism, formal logic and expert assessments as well as methods of economic statistics and financial analysis. The research results obtained by the authors of the article include both technical, economic and financial analysis of the departmental non-public information on the discovered problems of the gas industry and possible ways of overcoming the difficulties of geopolitical instability through geographical reorientation of export opportunities of the gas industry. The research materials are supported by calculations, tabular and graphical constructions. The conceptual approaches to the study involved, the prospects of the gas industry moving East, were a subject of cross-discussion. The article concludes with three brief conclusions.

Poverty Reduction Through Adaptive Social Protection and Spatial Poverty Model in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia’s National Strategic Tourism Areas

Despite Indonesia’s significant economic progress, certain regions, such as West Manggarai Regency in East Nusa Tenggara, continue to face persistent poverty challenges. While strategic tourism initiatives in Labuan Bajo have spurred regional development, the benefits have not reached local communities equitably, highlighting a disconnect between economic growth and community well-being. Addressing this gap requires an integrated approach that links social protection, disaster risk reduction, climate adaptation, and economic diversification. This paper proposes an adaptive social protection (ASP) framework that aims to increase the resilience of vulnerable populations by integrating social protection systems with disaster preparedness and sustainable economic strategies. The research critically examines the Regional Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMD) of Kabupaten Manggarai Barat (2021–2026), identifying existing policy gaps and opportunities for improvement. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study used cluster mapping and geographically weighted regression analysis to model and visualise poverty distribution alongside infrastructure conditions. These findings will inform the design of a targeted ASP programme to reduce poverty and build resilience to economic and environmental shocks. By aligning with sustainable development principles, the proposed framework addresses the dual goals of poverty reduction and disaster risk reduction. This study provides actionable recommendations for local governments to strengthen social protection mechanisms, promote inclusive economic growth, and ensure equitable distribution of tourism benefits. The findings provide a policy blueprint for promoting sustainable and inclusive development in West Manggarai Regency, with implications for similar contexts in other regions.

Особенности теории и практики экономического обоснования и оценки устойчивого развития территории в регионах Российской Федерации

The article discusses the issues of assessing the sustainable development of the region, the lack of a unified system of indicators in Russia creates difficulties in an objective comparison of different regions. The development of such a system and the improvement of methods for assessing the sustainability of regions is necessary for effective management of regional development and management decision-making.