The paper analyzes the problems of carbon stocks variation in the pool of cropland mineral soils at the regional scale of the Russian Federation. The carbon stock balance of cropland soils was evaluated by estimating carbon gains and losses, and then the components of the carbon footprint were measured as a ratio of soil organic carbon balance to crop production quantity in terms of grain equivalent (t C/t grain eq.). The estimates for the period 2011-2020 have revealed that there is generally a small net gain of carbon on cropland in Russia, mainly due to the intake of carbon from plant residues. Most of the steppe region of Russia suffers from net losses of carbon at levels from -0.15 t C/t grain eq. up to -0.69 t C/t grain eq. In other regions, such as the Central Chernozem and Black Sea Coast regions, net carbon gain is observed in the range of 0.1-0.3 t C/t grain eq. due to the intake of significant biomass of crop and root residues as a consequence of intensive crop production.

Sustainable development and reduction of the carbon footprint is an important issue on the development agenda of the Russian national economy and, in particular, the agricultural sector. The study of long-term trajectories of development of the agricultural economy and the conditions for achieving carbon neutrality should take into account the expected climatic and socio-economic changes in the world, which are enshrined in a number of widely used scenarios – ‘Shared Socioeconomic Pathways’ (SSPs) and, as a rule, are based on the use of integral multi-sector models land use dynamics. The study is focused on obtaining projections of climate change and scenarios SSP1, SSP2 and SSP3 on the dynamics of crop production in Russia until 2050, with an emphasis on the development of a large agricultural region of Siberia – Altai Krai, in the context of analyzing the timing and conditions for achieving carbon neutrality. The GLOBIOM model, adapted for modeling at the level of Russian regions, was used as a toolkit. The results of scenario modeling made it possible to assess changes in the scale of production and cropland structure, greenhouse gas emissions in carbon units and the overall dynamics of the carbon footprint as well as expected consequences for Russian economy and harnessing the export potential of crops. It has been revealed that achieving carbon neutrality on the regional level (Altai Krai) is a challenge that requires a significant change in the structure of sown areas, the introduction of environmentally-oriented technologies and a significant increase in the productivity of agricultural land. The results contribute to deepening the understanding of regional economic management processes using the example of the Altai Kray and ways to achieve sustainable development goals, in particular achieving carbon neutrality in crop production. The practice of such research can be transferred to other regions of Russia

Relevance . The modern development of agriculture in the Russian Federation is constrained by the problems of global climate change, which is expressed in the occurrence of frequent droughts that have a negative impact on grain production. In recent years, frequent droughts have begun to overcome previously unusual territories of the Ural Federal District, which includes the Sverdlovsk, Tyumen, Chelyabinsk and Kurgan regions. In these regions, it is suggested to develop land melioration programs to support irrigation initiatives of the main grain-producing regions for the sake of maintaining stable crops and preserving land fertility. Methods . In the course of the study, a combination of analytical and statistical methods was used, as well as an analysis of regulatory legal acts in order to substantiate recommendations for improving the modern meliorative system in Russia for the purpose of agricultural land productivity growth. Statistical data on gross yields and productivity of the main crops in the Ural Federal District were studied using Rosstat data. The state of reclaimed lands was analyzed according to Rosreestr. The main legislative acts of the Government of Russia on the development of land reclamation until 2031 were analyzed. Results . This study showed that there are not enough projects for the development of land melioration in the Ural Federal District. The current state of the lands used for irrigation is considered as unsuitable for use. It is proposed to amend Decree of the Government of Russia № 731 and publish data on reclamation facilities planned to be put into circulation until 2031.

The achievement of several sustainable development goals and the Paris Climate Agreement depends on rapid progress towards sustainable food and land systems in all countries. We have built a flexible, collaborative modeling framework to foster the development of national pathways by local research teams and their integration up to global scale. Local researchers independently customize national models to explore mid-century pathways of the food and land use system transformation in collaboration with stakeholders. An online platform connects the national models, iteratively balances global exports and imports, and aggregates results to the global level. Our results show that actions toward greater sustainability in countries could sum up to 1 Mha net forest gain per year, 950 Mha net gain in the land where natural processes predominate, and an increased CO 2 sink of 3.7 GtCO 2 e yr −1 over the period 2020–2050 compared to current trends, while average food consumption per capita remains above the adequate food requirements in all countries. We show examples of how the global linkage impacts national results and how different assumptions in national pathways impact global results. This modeling setup acknowledges the broad heterogeneity of socio-ecological contexts and the fact that people who live in these different contexts should be empowered to design the future they want. But it also demonstrates to local decision-makers the interconnectedness of our food and land use system and the urgent need for more collaboration to converge local and global priorities.

Land degradation is a major challenge to sustainable development and poverty reduction across the world. This paper estimates the contribution of land degradation to the losses in agricultural profits in the four countries in Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. We used a production function approach to relate multiple factors including land quality to farmers' profits; we evaluated the latter by combining hitherto unique nationally representative agricultural household surveys with remotely sensed data on land degradation hotspots. The findings show that land degradation that had occurred over the previous three decades reduced net farming profits among agricultural households by 4.8 times during the 2009–2010 cropping season compared with the case without land degradation. Land degradation reduced net agricultural profits of all categories of agricultural households in the region, both poor and rich. At the same time, contrary to widespread beliefs that poor agricultural households cannot cope with land degradation due to limited access to resources, the results also showed that the poor households applied more sustainable land management practices than the richer agricultural households. This is because they had a stronger dependence on land for their livelihoods; hence, had a stronger incentive to sustainably manage it. These findings mean that poverty does not need to inexorably lead to land degradation and to subsequent vicious cycles exacerbating poverty. At the same time, increasing poor farmers' wealth by sustainable land management alone may be challenging, requiring additional accompanying policies to address structural and institutional reasons for poverty.

The purpose of the study was to assess the current state of food security in some regions of the Russian Federation, to identify bottlenecks that hinder its achievement, and also to try to determine the relationship between food security indicators and the degree of land degradation - categories that largely determine the socio-ecological development of the region. Belgorod, Vladimir, Volgograd, Kaliningrad, Penza, Samara regions were selected as test regions. At the same time, the choice of the self-sufficiency indicator for the main types of food products as the most representative indicator for assessing food security at the municipal level is justifed. The adapted methodology for calculating self-sufficiency for the municipal level consisted in using the calculated indicators of the required production volumes in accordance with rational consumption standards, which allowed us to obtain an objective assessment of how much municipal formations are able to provide the population living there with the main types of products. The adapted methodology proposed by the authors for calculating indicators of self-sufficiency in basic types of food at the municipal level is described in detail in earlier publications. The results of the analysis of the data obtained on self-sufficiency in such types of products as potatoes, vegetables, meat, milk, fruits and berries in the municipal districts of the test regions in dynamics for the period 2010-2021 are presented. In addition, the relationship between the calculated indicators of self-sufficiency in the main types of food and the degree of land degradation in the municipalities of the test regions was revealed. The results obtained made it possible to identify the main problems associated with ensuring food security and develop proposals to improve the situation.

The article presents the results of testing a comprehensive scheme of ecological and economic assessment of land degradation in various regions of the European part of the Russian Federation—Volgograd, Belgorod, Kaliningrad, and Penza oblasts. This scheme includes the use of several methodological approaches—calculation of the amount of damage/harm, which allows one to assess degradation at the present time; determination of land-degradation neutrality (LDN), reflecting the development of degradation processes in dynamics; and assessment of the ratio of the cost of “inaction” to the cost of “action” in relation to the restoration of degraded lands (the methodology of Joachim von Braun), demonstrating the prospects of current land use and predicting the profitability of projects for the restoration of the territory. The originality of the scheme is determined by the possibility of simultaneous detailed analysis of degradation processes in soils and lands in retrospect and at the present time, as well as forecasting them in the future. The results were obtained using the application of the methodology of von Braun. On the one hand, they are based to a certain extent on the methodology of calculating damage from soil and land degradation (here, the cost of restoration or damage is used in the calculations), on the other hand, they come into some contradiction with the results of calculating the LDN for the studied regions. Thus, for the Volgograd oblast with the lowest for the regions value of the neutral balance indicator of land degradation (indicator values of the state of land degradation decay the most), provides a favorable forecast for the success of the implementation of reclamation measures.

The relevance of the study is determined by the need to analyze the consequences of monocultures in crop production in the regions of Russia, not only from an economic point of view, but also from an environmental one. The objective of the study is to develop ways for the sustainable development of agriculture in Russia, taking into account the possibilities for the development of diversification and the possibility of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The subject of the presented research is the production and environmental indicators of crop production in the regions of Russia. In the course of the work, traditional scientific methods were used - descriptive, analytical, statistical and methods of economic and mathematical modeling. The sources of information were Russian and foreign scientific publications, official publications of regulatory and legal documents and statistical data of Russian state authorities, as well as foreign databases on agricultural statistics. The results of the study conclude that in the period 2011-2019, the increase in crop production took place mainly in the Central Black Earth and South-Western regions of the country, where the plowing of abandoned lands was accompanied by an increase in crop yields (intensification), which led to a relatively low carbon track per unit of output. On the contrary, in the regions of the Far East, where the plowing of the fallow has led to an increase in soybean crops (usually low-yielding), this has affected a higher carbon footprint, which cannot be considered a sustainable characteristic for further development. Thus, the scientific novelty of the study lies in the development of scientific and analytical tools for the correct identification of regional and global environmental risks in assessing the efficiency of crop production in the regions of Russia. Thus, in our study, regional risks were assessed through the concentration of crops in the region or through the diversification index (variety of cultivated crops). Global risks were assessed through the indicator of greenhouse gas emissions, which also allowed us to esti-mate the so-called cumulative "carbon footprint" of each region in terms of grain unit of crop production. As a result of the study, policy recommendations were developed to improve statistical reporting on the agricultural sector. It is also recommended to promote knowledge about new and old practices for introducing diversification, incl. and the classic method of growing legumes in crops, which is not being successfully implemented by all regions so far. The paper is prepared under State research assignment of RANEPA in 2023. The paper is written in Russian language.

The relevance of the study is determined by the need to analyze the consequences of the con-centration of livestock farms, not only from an economic point of view, but also from an eco-logical one. The objective of the research is to develop pathways of sustainable development of animal husbandry in Russia, taking into account the possibilities of continuus growth in produc-tion and export of meat and milk, and accompanied by modern environmental problems like the growth of farm waste, and to discover the possibilities of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emis-sions from main livestock operations. The subject of the research is the environmental indica-tors characterizing the externalities arising from the production of livestock products (meat, milk, eggs). In the course of the work, traditional scientific methods were used - descriptive, analytical, statistical and methods of economic and mathematical modeling. The sources of in-formation were Russian and foreign scientific publications, official publications of normative legal documents and statistical data of state authorities of Russia, as well as foreign databases on agricultural statistics. The reported results conclude that the concentration of livestock pro-duction facilities leads to different environmental consequences. Among the leading regions of producers of livestock products, the highest concentration is in the Central Black Earth Region: the Belgorod and Kursk regions account for almost 30% of all waste from agriculture in Russia. The estimation of greenhouse gas emissions was carried out using the GLOBIOM partial equi-librium model. The calculation results showed that in the Belgorod region one of the lowest carbon footprint indicators in the production of livestock products: 8 t СО2 equiv. / t of protein, which is associated with the low-carbon development of poultry farming. In other regions, where the specialization of dairy and beef cattle breeding, the carbon footprint is at least 2 times higher, for example, in the Krasnodarsky krai, however, the indicators of waste output per unit of production, on the contrary, are lower there. Thus, the scientific novelty of the research lies in the development of scientific and analytical tools for the correct identification of local, regional and global environmental risks when assessing the efficiency of production of meat, milk and eggs. So, in our study, local risks were assessed through the concentration of manure (nitrogen) elements per unit of agricultural land and sown area at the level of municipalities. Regional risks were assessed through the indicator of waste from agricultural products. And global risks were assessed through an indicator of greenhouse gas emissions, which also allowed us to estimate the so-called cumulative carbon footprint of each region in terms of the unit of animal protein produced. Based on the results of the study, recommendations were developed to improve statistical reporting on production waste in the agricultural sector; to differentially collect and publish data on various types of feeding of farm animals in different categories of farms, which will subsequently help to better calculate animal diets and their potential waste and greenhouse gas emissions, in order to identify the most “dirtiest” and “sustainable” animal husbandry practices. The report is prepared under State research assignment of RANEPA.

В статье анализируются методологические и практические проблемы оценки эффективности сельскохозяйственного землепользования. Используемая модель является интеграцией метода оценки ущерба от неэффективного возделывания почв в алгоритм оценки экономической эффективности восстановления почв путем инвестирования и диверсификации сельскохозяйственной деятельности. Ущерб оценивался с учетом экономической потери плодородия почв, а экономическая эффективность – путем сопоставления стоимостной оценки «действия/бездействия» относительно деградированных земель с учетом дисконтированных будущих доходов. Модель апробирована на трех уровнях: Калининградской области, Озерского района и одного из хозяйств данного муниципалитета, где представлены типичные процессы истощения почв, характерные для региона. Расчеты показали, что переход к эталонному хозяйству с более высокой выручкой и рентабельностью экономически оправдан на девятилетнем прогнозном периоде только на уровне района и хозяйства. Восстановление же всех деградированных земель в Калининградской области не окупится. Разработаны рекомендации для аграрной политики региона, учитывающие дополнительные меры по восстановлению плодородия почв при сохранении доходности сельскохозяйственных организаций или выводу малопродуктивных земель из оборота.

The article analyzes the methodological and practical problems of assessing the effectiveness of agricultural land use. The model used is the integration of the method of assessing the damage from inefficient soil cultivation into the algorithm for assessing the economic efficiency of soil restoration through investment and diversification of agricultural activities. Damage was assessed taking into account the economic loss of soil fertility, and economic efficiency, by comparing the cost estimate of “action/inaction” on degraded lands, taking into account discounted future income. The model has been tested at three levels: Kaliningrad oblast, Ozersky district, and one of the farms of this municipality, where typical soil depletion processes characteristic of the region are presented. Calculations have shown that the transition to a reference farm with higher revenues and profitability is economically justified over a nine-year forecast period only at the level of the district and farm. The restoration of all degraded lands in the Kaliningrad oblast will not pay off. Recommendations for the agrarian policy of the region have been developed, taking into account additional measures to restore soil fertility while maintaining the profitability of agricultural organizations or withdrawing unproductive lands from circulation.

There is an urgent need for countries to transition their national food and land-use systems toward food and nutritional security, climate stability, and environmental integrity. How can countries satisfy their demands while jointly delivering the required transformative change to achieve global sustainability targets? Here, we present a collaborative approach developed with the FABLE-Food, Agriculture, Biodiversity, Land, and Energy-Consortium to reconcile both global and national elements for developing national food and land-use system pathways. This approach includes three key features: (1) global targets, (2) country-driven multi-objective pathways, and (3) multiple iterations of pathway refinement informed by both national and international impacts. This approach strengthens policy coherence and highlights where greater national and international ambition is needed to achieve global goals (e.g., the SDGs). We discuss how this could be used to support future climate and biodiversity negotiations and what further developments would be needed.

The paper analyses the current ecological consequences of agricultural growth in Russia’s main regions (oblast level) during 2011–2019. Our main hypothesis was that local environ­mental risks, like waste concentration, would be closely related to global climate risks such as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the production of crops, meat, milk, eggs, and from land use change (LUC) activities leading to a larger carbon footprint. We first analyze official data for agricultural waste and find that 30% of it is concentrated in just two regions (Belgorod and Kursk), while they produce only 10% of agricultural value of Russia. Next, we find that manure nutrients have a high concentration in regions where the livestock production is not balanced with appropriate nutrient use on croplands (Dagestan, Astrakhan, Leningrad, and Pskov regions) which might lead to the pollution of soils and local waters. Next, we test the GLOBIOM partial equilibrium model to evaluate proper agricultural protein production quantities in Russian regions and respective GHG emissions from crop, livestock and land use change activities. We find that 21% of the GHG emission in 2019 came from the conversion of former abandoned agricultural land into cropland (starting from 2011). While some regions such as Krasnodar, Rostov, and Stavropol increase productivity with low carbon footprint, others, like Amur and Bryansk, increase production by cropland expansion without respective productivity growth which leads to higher carbon footprint. Our results for livestock operations show that the main hypothesis did not hold up because regions which increase meat production, like Belgorod, Kursk, Pskov, and Leningrad, have a lower carbon footprint due to the production of pork meat and poultry which have lower GHG emissions due to specific digestion. On the other hand, these regions experience a higher environmental footprint due to the large concentration of waste which could be harmful for local eco­systems. Finally, we use the model to project possible future development up to 2030. Our results show the possible growth of crop and livestock products in most of the regions driven by external demand for food. The extensive scenario shows additional GHG emissions from cropland expansion, while the intensive scenario reveals a larger growth rate accompanied by productivity growth and lower carbon footprint, which is essential in harmonizing the current agricultural and climate policy of Russia.

The environmental consequences of crop production are analyzed, including those manifested in the form of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from sources such as chemical and organic fertilizers applied to arable land, soil cultivation processes, rice fields, plant residues, and burning of crop residues. The quantitative indicators of GHG emissions for 1992 and 2017 of six countries with developed agriculture and vast territories—Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Russia, and the United States—are compared. The results of calculations carried out using the database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO UN) show that all these countries have to a degree reduced GHG emissions per unit of production over 25 years. The largest reduction from 1992 to 2017 was achieved by Russia (49%), and the smallest, by Canada (8%). In 2017, in Australia, Brazil, Russia, and the United States, GHG emissions per unit of crop production amounted to 0.06–0.07 t of CO2 equivalent per Mcal, while in Canada and China, it was 0.09–0.10 t of CO2-equivalent per Mcal. The results of a comparative study show that Russia is able to implement a competitive advantage in the world agri-food markets, since it is currently a leading exporter of grain and oilseeds.

Russian Abstract:В исследовании изучаются изменения в увеличении производства продукции растениеводства в регионах России и экологические последствия в виде увеличения эмиссий парниковых газов (ПГ). English Abstract: The study examines the changes in the increase in crop production in the regions of Russia and the environmental consequences in the form of increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The article deals with the problem of assessing the amount of fines for environmental pollution. Individual cases are analyzed on the example of Russia and the United States on the problems of disposal and storage of manure. It was revealed that in the USA the amount of fines is calculated for each day of detected pollution. In addition, the law in the United States obliges to store manure in closed tanks, which is not the case in Russian legislative practice. Russian livestock farms are distinguished by high economic efficiency, however, if violations of environmental legislation are detected, they pay insignificant fines in the range of 700–800 thousand rubles in accordance with the Code of Administrative Offenses. It is necessary to develop a mechanism for equalizing economic profits and costs for third parties, as well as the creation of a modern monitoring system and open data on the facts of environmental pollution and related environmental indicators. The paper is written under the RANEPA’s State research assignment.