SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NORTHERN REGIONS: ECONOMIC AND ECO-LOGICAL ASPECTS

Provision of ecological conditions of population make a priority in develop-ment of high-tech, manufacturing and infrastructure industries in terms of sustaina-bility and minimal impact of the environment. Reducing the specific weight of pro-cessing industries in the economy; a radical increase in the efficiency of economical use of natural recourses lead to sharp decline in the consumption of natural re-sources and amounts of pollution per unit of end result; thus reducing an environ-mental pollution. But the potential of the Northern territories in terms of the rational use of natural resources, including renewable energy sources, and employment of innova-tive environmental technologies has not been used to the full. Recently the focus in research of sustainable development has been made on the so-called "green economy". This model of economic development fully considers the value of natural capital and ecological services, involving ecological sustainabil-ity, social justice, the development of local industries. The article analyses opportunities and constraints of sustainable development of the Northern territories. Economic and environmental problems of sustainable development are identified; the principles ensuring the improvement of life quality in the Northern regions are formulated. The authors present a set of tasks to carry out sustainable development of the Northern regions, aimed at efficient use of resources, access to innovative path of development and growth of high technology sectors of the economy. To conclude, the main problem in the green economy is imperfect markets en-able to provide commercial incentives for "green" development. The solution is in active participation of the state and society in the transition to a "green" model and sustainable development.