On geoecological assessment of economic diversification in coal-mining regions

Dmitry S. Shumkov
National University of Science and Technology “MISIS”, Moscow, Russian Federation
Russian Mining Industry №2/ 2026 p. 43-46

Abstract: The article examines the issues of diversifying the single-industry economy of coal-mining regions in conditions of coal markets transformation, introduction of sanctions-related restrictions, and implementation of low-carbon development strategies. A reduction in coal production and export volumes is accompanied by increasing social and economic risks, emergence of impoverished areas, and aggravation of geoecological challenges caused by the long-term impact of underground and surface mining operations. A distinctive feature of the coal-mining regions is high concentration of industrial facilities, formation of single-industry towns, and significant degradation of the natural and man-made landscapes. The study demonstrates that one of the promising directions for economic diversification of coal-mining regions is creation of the tourism and recreational clusters and promotion of the industrial tourism combined with simultaneous solution of the geoecological problems. The main types of geoecological disturbances are analyzed including the surface deformation, disruption of the hydrogeological regime, degradation of the soil and vegetation cover, emissions of mine gases, and formation of hazardous industrial landscapes. The paper analyzes the experience of industrial tourism development in coal-mining regions of the Russian Federation. It justifies the need to develop a methodology for assessing the feasibility of creating the tourism and recreational clusters with account of the disturbed areas condition, the scale of remediation measures, sources of financing, the degree of integration between the environmental remediation and the tourism infrastructure, involvement of the local community, and environmental sustainability of the obtained results.

Keywords: geoecology; economic diversification; single-industry towns; coal-mining regions; industrial tourism; tourism and recreational clusters; industrial landscapes; methodology

Information about the author

Dmitry S. Shumkov – Postgraduate Student, National University of Science and Technology “MISIS”, Moscow, Russian Federation.

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