The optimization approach to regional environmental security

The aim of the article. The aim of this paper is to work out a conceptual approach to the problem of environmental safety securing, the protection of population against unfavourable environmental impact and ecological risks and the maximization of economic effect from business activity including its ecological part. The following purposes were set and achieved: definition of the notion of optimal level of environmental safety; working out of a more precise classification of the elements of economic effect from ecological activity; outlining of possibilities to use economic tools in managing environmental safety at the regional level.The results of the analysis. Economically optimal level of environmental safety is one, which meets basic requirements concerning protection of population against negative environmental impact and threats of such impact, and provides the maximum economic effect from ecological activity. The gradation of environmental safety levels is based on the assessment of levels of ecological risk.The final economic result of ecological activity may be positive or negative depending on the amounts of expenditures and effect. The purpose of optimization will therefore be either maximization of earnings or minimization of loss. In general, the expenditures related to ecological activity grow when the level of environmental safety gets higher.For most of populated territories, the achievement of the maximum theoretically possible level of environmental safety is not only impractical in present but also not desirable in principle. Elimination or reducing to insignificant values of all ecological risks would actually require transforming a given territory to a natural reserve with consequent stopping all business activity, which would lead to very high economic losses.Conclusions and directions of further researches. Environmental safety of a territory may have different levels, which are characterized, in particular, by the balance of expenditures and economic results of ecological activity. Therefore, it is possible to optimize the level of environmental safety using the criterion of maximum economic effect of ecological measures, provided that the basic standards of the protection of population are met. The system of ecological management in each region should be based on a specific strategy taking into account regional features and aimed at achievement of the optimal level of environmental safety.It is of paramount importance to study and use the best international practices of territorial environmental management and closely cooperate with international ecological organizations and funds. The optimization strategies of ecological activities should define precise and economically well-grounded priorities, which could be used for the orientation by industrial enterprises in forming their investment portfolios.