The state of the environment is assessed based on the dominants of anthropogenic load in the regions of Ukraine. When selecting them, three main aspects should be taken into account: a) compliance with the objectives of the 2030 Basic Principles (Strategy) of the State Environmental Policy of Ukraine; b) the availability of relevant statistical, field, and laboratory analytical data to ensure the accuracy of the research and analysis; c) the environmental assessment parameters should be open to updates and adjustments in accordance with monitoring indicators. The main criteria for selecting the assessment parameters and indicators in this study included their priority and availability in calculations of the environmental situation in the country’s regions and the effectiveness of achieving the strategic goals of sustainable development. The article notes that an effective state environmental policy requires the creation of a modern information and analytical base for research on the state of atmospheric air, aquatic ecosystems, terrestrial ecosystems, waste management, and demographic changes. The environmental assessment is based on four groups of indicators: a) Group A – Atmospheric air; b) Group B – Aquatic ecosystems; c) Group C – Terrestrial ecosystems; and d) Group D – Waste management. An algorithm for calculating component and integral indices of the state of the environment is proposed. Based on the assessment results of the study of the regions of Ukraine in terms of consolidated and integral indices of anthropogenic load and their indicators, the following gradations of the state of the environment are identified: favourable, moderate, satisfactory, and tense. A favourable state is identified in five regions: Zakarpatska, Zhytomyrska, Chernivetska, Volynska, and Chernihivska oblasts. A moderate state is reported in Ternopilska, Hmelnytska, Rivnenska, Hersonska, Kyivska, Cherkaska, Kirovohradska, Ivano-Frankivska, Vinnytska, and Poltavska oblasts. A satisfactory state is typical for Mykolayivska, Harkivska, Odeska, Sumska, Lvivska, and Luhanska oblasts. A tense state is peculiar to the city of Kyiv, Zaporizka, Donetska, and Dnipropetrovska oblasts. The article emphasises that environmental assessment indicators should be open to information updates and adjustments in accordance with future monitorings. An environmental assessment can serve as an informative basis for diversifying regional environmental policy instruments. 

atmospheric air, aquatic ecosystems, terrestrial ecosystems, waste, assessment parameters and indicators, state of the environment 

The article presents the assessing of the competitiveness of the tourism and recreation sector of the Carpathian region of Ukraine at the national level. It addresses the consequences of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and russian military aggression on the change in the competitive position of the tourism and recreation sector in the Carpathian region. The article emphasizes a significant decrease in tourist and recreational flows and the number of functioning tourist and recreational facilities due to the pandemic and quarantine restrictions. During the pandemic, tendencies to replace the flow of foreign tourism with domestic tourism were evident, contributing to the rapid recovery of tourism and recreational activity in the Carpathian region over the next year due to the high capacity of interregional competitiveness of its tourism and recreation sector. The recovery process was interrupted by the russian military aggression. The study shows the high competitiveness of the tourism and recreation sector of the Carpathian region in the postwar period and the possibility of further consideration of this sector among the priority goals in the development strategies of its oblasts. 

tourism and recreation sector, competitiveness, Carpathian region, tourism and recreation activities, COVID-19, martial law 

The article examines how natural conditions and resources influence the competitiveness of the tourism and recreation sector of the Carpathian region of Ukraine. It highlights the methodological approaches to their assessment in the system of competitiveness factors in the studied sector of the regions on a national level. To calculate the competitiveness indices, the following dominant indicators are suggested: forested areas, mountainous areas, objects in the nature reserve fund, UNESCO World Heritage sites, medicinal mineral waters, deposits of therapeutic mud, ozokerite, lakes and estuaries with therapeutic brine, density of the river system, area of lakes, ponds and reservoirs, availability of sea beaches, number of hunting sites on the territory of hunting grounds. In addition to the partial indices for Ukraine’s regions based on individual indicators of natural resource factors, integral indices of regions are calculated. According to the indicators of integral indices of the impact of natural resource factors on the competitiveness of the tourism and recreation sector, the rating of the oblasts of the Carpathian region is determined, in particular: Zakarpatska (4.3) and Lvivska (3.4) oblasts are ranked first and second, Ivano-Frankivska – fifth (3.1), and Chernivetska – seventeenth. In general, natural conditions and resources offer significant competitive advantages to the region’s oblasts in providing wellness, tourism and wellness (especially in Lvivska and Zakarpatska oblasts), tourism and recreation, and tourism and sports services, particularly in skiing. The article reveals that the combination of natural conditions and resources available in the Carpathian region provides significant competitive advantages for its oblasts in the tourism and recreation sector at the national level. 

Carpathian region, tourism and recreation sector, natural resource factors, impact indicators, integral indices, competitive advantages