Leading Researcher of the Department of regional ecological policy and environmental management of the Dolishniy Institute of Regional Research of NAS of Ukraine
The issue of the course of administrative and territorial reform as well as budget and financial decentralization in Ukraine is outlined. Reform achievements and problem points of its accomplishment are emphasized, in particular those related to the necessity to overcome the obstacles stemming from the voluntariness principle of territorial communities’ consolidation into more capable administrative and territorial units of basic level. The ways to overcome these obstacles for the sake of successful reforms are suggested.
decentralization reform, local self-governance, consolidated territorial communities, budget capability
The issue of the use of European macro regional development instruments for mountain territories – European mountain conventions and macro regional strategies – is examined. Principles and objectives of actual Alpine and Carpathian conventions are characterized. The necessity to supplement them with the instruments of strategic and program nature is emphasized. On the example of actual 2015 EU Macro Regional Strategy for the Alpine Region the objective, goals and tasks of new European instruments of macro regions systemic development are analyzed. The essence of initiatives on macro regional strategy development for Carpathian region is outlined. Data on directions and priority spheres of joint activities stipulated in the draft strategy for countries and regions – its hypothetical participants – is presented. Special attention is paid to three priority spheres of joint activity, which aim for competitive, green and cohesive Carpathians. Strengthening of economic cooperation, achievement of nature environment high quality and improvement of Carpathians functional accessibility are defined as the most important goals. Horizontal cooperation of strategy participants in institutional sphere, spatial planning and cross-border cooperation are also emphasized as important ones.
Analysis of scientific approaches to interpretation of investment capacity is conducted. Definition of the term «investment capacity of territorial community» is suggested. Special attention is paid to its specific features – concrete territorial context and dependence on peculiarities of local natural, social, economic and other factors and on the efficiency and adequacy of territorial management bodies’ activity directed at the use of community’s investment capacity. The structure of territorial community’s investment capacity is examined and its major components are outlined: natural conditions and resources, raw materials base, human resources, economic base, financial resources, investment climate and scientific, technological, innovative, institutional, infrastructural and management maintenance. The problems of forming and exploitation of territorial communities’ investment capacity are emphasized. Low management capacity and promotion activity of local governing bodies, absence of efficient incentives for investors and poor quality of local development programs are among them. The scheme of investment capacity management mechanism at the level of territorial community is suggested in order to outline the directions of management influences of local governing bodies on implementation of territorial communities’ investment capacity.
The issue of public-private partnership in the field of renewable energy in the region is considered. The results of the economic evaluation of the natural potential of the renewable energy of Western Ukraine are given. The authors made the conclusions that the rate of its development is low and there is a need of effective organizational-economic mechanisms for renewable energy development in the region. State authorities and business entities are interdependent, because the state does not have sufficient funds to invest in renewable energy at an appropriate level, but has certain commitments to increase the share of renewables in the gross energy consumption and companies can not implement their projects without the support and approval of the state. In this context authors propose several mechanisms, including: formation of Western Ukrainian Cluster of renewable energy, implementation of green public procurement in the region, the development of finished projects for the construction of renewable energy objects on the auction trade basis. Organizing and conducting of the auctions is hold on the regional authorities in the face of a specially created independent commission. It is advised that the commission should include representatives of central authorities, local authorities, interested NGOs, specialized research institutions and entities in the field of renewable energy. The introduction of «green» procurement will be accompanied by the new jobs with safe working conditions in the region, the production of domestic «green» products and services and energy efficient technologies, development of small and medium businesses, improvement of the social responsibility through the compliance with health standards of labor, increase the investment in «green» sectors. It is predicted that the implementation of the effective organizational and economic mechanisms in the field of renewable energy in the region, based on the international experience, will create conditions for rapid development of renewable energy, while providing a major boost to the regional economy.
renewable energy sources, renewable energy, region, public-private partnership
The issues of cross-border ecological security are outlined. The notion of regional cross-border ecological security is explained as the absence from the side of neighbouring country’s territory of the threats of ecological nature for the health of population and the activity of territorial communities of the region adjacent to the border. The authors propose the structural scheme of regional ecological security factors. Special attention is paid to the peculiarities of cross-border factor influence on the achievement of ecological security in bordering regions. The conclusion is made that the issues of decreasing the anthropogenic pressure on the environment and of achievement of the ecological security level corresponding to the neighbours’ parameters are more than urgent. Implementation of such tasks requires the complex solution in the single cross-border system of ecologic security. Its structure should encompass four basic blocks: legislative-targeted block; block on development of decisions over maintenance of ecological security; block on ecological security monitoring and block on decisions implementation results control. The blocks in their turn are differentiated into the elements that are related to each other. The possibilities for the Western cross-border regions of Ukraine that emerge due to excess to European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) and its cross-border cooperation programs for 2014-2020 are stressed.
ecological security, cross-border region, ecological threats, asymmetry of ecological condition, mechanism of cross-border ecological security regulation
The issues of preparation to conducting the administrative and territorial reform in Ukraine and its regulatory and legislative maintenance are outlined. Considering the need to reform the current system of administrative and territorial units (ATU) the methodical approaches to territorial communities modeling as more capable administrative and territorial units of the basis level with the higher capacity to implement the tasks of local self-governance are proposed. They are suggested to be formed through combining existing low capacity village, town and city councils into more powerful territorial communities. Herewith the following important factors are stressed: economic, infrastructural, administrative and regulatory, natural and geographical, demographic and historical. The criteria to be considered in the course of territorial communities modeling and the sequence of actions to be taken while modeling are defined. The sequence of actions stipulates following steps: determining the level of existing administrative and territorial units economic potential through evaluation of tax revenues to local budgets, selection of the ATU with higher economic capacity to be the basic ones for combining; determining of adjacent ATU with the settlements located as a rule in the zone of 15-20-minutes of transport availability to the center of the basis ATU that are reasonable to be combined with the basis one; conducting the analysis of road network, of natural obstacles, of infrastructural objects and administrative buildings availability as well as of other data bound to influence the forming of territorial communities as administrative and territorial units; defining of advisable territorial composition of the newly created ATU of the basis level taking into account the abovementioned steps; preparing of relevant maps with ATU delimitation and information summaries on the newly created territorial communities.
administrative and territorial reform, administrative and territorial units, territorial communities, modeling
The issues of the role of coal industry in social and economic development of countries and regions and current tendencies in the branch development are outlined. The productive as well as financial and economic condition of coal enterprises of the Western Region of Ukraine is characterized. According to the dispersion analysis the groups of mines in the region with low, below average, average and high indicators of investment efficiency are detached and the conclusion over the generally low economic efficiency of coal producing enterprises’ activity of Lviv-Volyn basin and their actual lack of competitive ability is made. Such situation poses a threat of termination of their activity and appearance of new socially and economically depressed territories. Special attention is paid to the necessity of coal industry restructuring in Ukraine and its Western region. The analysis of the ways of coal industry restructuring in the European countries is conducted and European experience of the branch restructuring and possibilities of its exploitation in Ukraine are evaluated. The uncultivated coal deposits of the region perspective for mines construction are indicated. On this basis the directions and mechanisms of coal industry restructuring in the Western region of Ukraine are proposed. In particular: incorporation of all coal producers of the region into one public company PJSC “Zahidvuhillya» along with termination of unprofitable mines, mines with especially difficult conditions of mining and mines with exhausted reserves of raw coal; forming of vertically integrated fuel and energy company in the form of state enterprise «Zahidenerhovuhillya»; construction of new mines in the region in order to preserve coal mining and to create workplaces for the miners; introduction of special investment activity regimen in the regions where the coal mining was terminated; forming of special state policy of disengaged coal enterprises employees social maintenance.
coal industry, restructuring, world experience, Western region of Ukraine
Theoretical, methodological and practical issues concerning the tasks of mountain territories sustainable development in Ukraine are outlined. Peculiarities of mountain territories that stipulate the necessity to develop and implement special policy of their development are indicated. The experience of mountain policy implementation in foreign countries is presented in short. On the basis of sustainable development global concept and modern approaches to its implementation in mountain regions of Europe the role of nature exploitation in achievement of mountain territories sustainable development goals is explained and basic principles of sustainable nature exploitation are defined as following: economic need for natural resources use; preserving nature exploitation traditions; granting advantages to local population in the use of resources; preserving and reproducing natural wealth; ecological nature exploitation; sticking to the limits of allowed ecological and economic compromise between the consequences of nature exploitation. Taking into consideration the fact of mountain regions retardation in economic development that restricts the possibilities of solution of mountain regions social and ecological problems the conclusion over the urgency of the tasks of mountain territories economic development taking into account their natural resources and ecologic conditions and simultaneous solution of local population employment issues is made. The mechanisms of mountain territories economic development stimulation in Ukraine and overcoming their social and economic depressiveness are proposed on the basis of introducing special investment activity regimen in mountain regions stipulated by the law of Ukraine for the priority development territories (PDT). Along with this the system of incentive for the investors is proposed that should serve both as the instrument of low investment attractiveness of mountain territories compensation and the stimulator of realization of their relative advantages that lie in the uniqueness and great social role of natural resources, demographic and ethno cultural potential of mountains. Territories of priority development are proposed to have legally imposed special customs and tax regimens and mechanisms of compensation and donations to the investors in case of implementation of the projects approved by the managing bodies of the PDT. Preferential regimen of investment activity should cover the types of economic activity and production that:
are aimed at creation of jobs for local population;
are oriented at efficient use of local natural resources;
correspond to high ecologic standards and do not damage natural mountain complexes;
maintain production of competitive goods and services and stipulate funding of local budgets.
Creation of PDT in mountain regions of Carpathian region of Ukraine contributes at a whole to the higher level of sustainable use of its natural resources potential. Aggregate level of sustainable nature exploitation index in the region according to conducted estimation amounts only to 0,578 that testifies to the fact that current state of nature exploitation in the region does not correspond to the principles, criteria and requirements of sustainable development strategy and shows the necessity of introducing the measures over the range of directions of economic, social, ecologic and institutional nature in order to bring the nature exploitation state to modern requirements.
sustainable development, mountain territories, nature exploitation, Carpathian region, social and economic depressiveness, investment activity regimen
Evaluation of exploitation of mineral and water resources of Carpathian region of Ukraine according to the principles of sustainable development is conducted on the basis of the proposed by the author methodical approaches to evaluation of sustainable nature exploitation at mountain regions. The results of the evaluation are outlined and the range of problem issues to be overcome in order to increase social and economic impact of natural resources exploitation and to solve the tasks of their protection and reproduction is exposed.
The specific issues of sustainable development evaluation of mountain territories natural resources economic use are outlined. The set of principles and criteria of sustainable use of Ukrainian Carpathians’ natural resources and their corresponding evaluation parameters and indicators is proposed. Methodological approaches to establishment of the indices of natural resources sustainable use in the Carpathian mountain region are defined.
The analysis of economic development level of Ukrainian mountain areas is conducted and the conclusions on the necessity of the state maintenance as well as creation of job places for local population are made. The importance and ways of introduction of investment activity special regimen in mountain areas and granting them with the territories of priority development status are considered.
mountain areas, economic development, investment activity, territories of priority development
The place of natural and technogenic threats in the system of national security is outlined. The level and peculiarities of natural and technogenic threats in Ukraine are characterized. Special attention is paid to regional differences in structure and level of natural and technogenic threats. Conclusions over poor efficiency of counteraction against such threats in Ukraine are made and the range of top-priority tasks over improvement of natural and technogenic security of the state is proposed.
natural and technogenic threats, national security, emergency situations, region
On the basis of analysis of the existent system of administrative-territorial device and organization of local self-government the necessity of its reformation in Ukraine is grounded. Authorial vision of perspective model of administrative-territorial device is offered, the chart of distribution of functions and plenary powers is represented by an orientation between the organs of local self-government of different levels, the algorithm of realization of administrative-territorial reform is shown.
administrative-territorial device, administrative-territorial unit, local self-government, territorial association, administrative-territorial reform
The increasing role of economic leverages of nature management in world practice is emphasized. On the basis of analysis of ecological, economic, legislative, organizational, financial, budget, etc problems in the sphere of water management in Ukraine and approaches to its solution, the ways of improvement of water management relations based on legislative, administrative, financial and economic instruments, promotion of efficient water management, improvement of property relations and maintenance of regional interests in water resources’ management are proposed. The expected results of implementation of proposed measures on water management improvement are indicated.
nature management, water management sphere, ecological and economic problems, economic management
The approaches to the realization of ”the contaminant pays” principle in the states-parties to the Carpathian convention (ratified by Ukraine in 2004) are analyzed. The mechanisms of realization of the given principle in Ukraine, in the other states-parties to the Carpathian convention and in the states of European Union are compared. The amounts of ecological payments, which are used in Ukraine, are analyzed in comparison with the amounts of ecological payments and taxes in other countries. The trends of subsequent development of ecological taxation are assessed and the ways of its improvement in Ukraine are proposed on the basis of world tendencies and the European Union practice.
Citations
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Zhuk, P. V. (2015). Aktual’ni zavdannya ta shlyakhy reformuvannya administratyvno-terytorial’noho ustroyu v Ukrayini [Actual problems and ways of reforming the administrative-territorial system in Ukraine]. In Sotsial’no-ekonomichni problemy suchasnoho periodu Ukrayiny [Socio-economic problems of the modern period of Ukraine]: Vol. 1(111) (pp. 20-25). [in Ukrainian]. {re2019.02.036.003}
Zhuk, P. V. (2015). Aktual’ni zavdannya ta shlyakhy reformuvannya administratyvno-terytorial’noho ustroyu v Ukrayini [Actual tasks and ways of reforming the administrative and territorial structure in Ukraine]. In Sotsial’no-ekonomichni problemy suchasnoho periodu Ukrayiny [Socio-economic problems of the modern period of Ukraine]: Vol. 1(111) (pp. 20-25). [in Ukrainian]. {re2019.04.152.005}
Zhuk, P. V. (2015). Metodychni pidkhody do modelyuvannya terytorial’nykh hromad bazovoho rivnya u protsesi administratyvno-terytorial’noyi reformy v Ukrayini [Methodological approaches to modeling basic-level territorial communities in the process of administrative-territorial reform in Ukraine]. Rehional’na ekonomika – Regional economy, 2, 5-13. [in Ukrainian]. {re2019.04.152.006}
Zhuk, P. V., & Siryk, Z. O. (2017). Investytsiynyy potentsial terytorial’nykh hromad: sut’ ponyattya ta pytannya upravlinnya [Investment potential of territorial communities: the essence of the concept and management issues]. Rehional’na ekonomika – Regional economy, 2, 16-22. [in Ukrainian]. {re2019.04.152.007}
Kravtsiv, V. S., & Zhuk, P. V. (2016). Reforma administratyvno-terytorial’noho ustroyu: rezul’taty, problemy, podal’shi diyi [Reform of the administrative and territorial structure: results, problems, further actions]. Stratehichna panorama – Strategic panorama. 4, 104-113. [in Ukrainian]. {re2019.04.152.008}
Kravtsiv, V. S., Storonyanska, I. Z., & Zhuk, P. V. (2017). Reformuvannya terytorial’noyi osnovy mistsevoho samovryaduvannya v konteksti yoho finansovoyi spromozhnosti [Reforming the territorial basis of local self-government in the context of its financial capacity]. Ekonomika Ukrayiny – Economy of Ukraine, 1, 41-51. [in Ukrainian]. {re2019.04.152.009}
Kravtsiv, V. S., Zhuk, P. V., & Storonyanska, I. Z., et al. (2016). Administratyvno-terytorial’nyy ustriy: metodolohichni osnovy ta praktyka reformuvannya [Administrative-territorial structure: methodological foundations and practice of reform]. Lviv: Dolishniy Institute of Regional Research of NAS of Ukraine. [in Ukrainian]. {re2019.04.152.010}
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pzhuk@ukr.net
(032)270-7037
UDC 338.244.47(477); JEL E60, O18, R58