Possibility of balanced development of the Volga Federal District of Russia while maintaining the carbon cycle and transition to renewable energy

Chelyabinsk State University, 129 Kashirin Brothers Street, 454001, Chelyabinsk, Russia

^* Corresponding author: dvinin1981@mail.ru

Abstract

The article provides an assessment of the possibility of a balanced development of the regions of the Volga Federal District of the Russian Federation due to an increase in the share of renewable energy in the regional energy balance and subject to the preservation of the carbon cycle. Particular attention was paid to agricultural areas, which, in a case of irrational nature management, can significantly disrupt the carbon cycle. Thanks to the use of a special indicator, it was found that the Volga Federal District is in an unbalanced state. It is possible to correct the situation by increasing the share of alternative energy to 52-96 per cent in regional energy balances (77 per cent on average in the district). In eleven regions of the District, there is carbon dioxide emission from anthropogenically disturbed territories, covered mainly by agricultural areas. In order to preserve the carbon cycle in the Volga Federal District, it is necessary to bring 136,200 sq. km of territory into a special nature management regime, mainly steppe ecosystems and pastures, which cover 10.9 per cent of the total area of the district.