+7 925 966 4690, 9am6pm (GMT+3), Monday – Friday
ИД «Финансы и кредит»

JOURNALS

  

FOR AUTHORS

  

SUBSCRIBE

    
National Interests: Priorities and Security
 

The instability of approaches to sustainable development

ISSUE 3, MARCH 2026

Received: 10 October 2025

Accepted: 24 October 2025

Available online: 30 March 2026

Subject Heading: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF ECONOMY

JEL Classification: F02, F60, Q01

Pages: 145-157

https://doi.org/10.24891/ozodho

Sergei B. ZAINULLIN Moscow University for Industry and Finance “Synergy”, Moscow, Russian Federation
Law_union@mail.ru

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9818-4706

Subject. This article discusses sustainable development as one of the key points in State and corporate policy, approaches to it, and contradictions in theory and its practical implementation.
Objectives. The study aims to identify differences in approaches in the theoretical formation of the sustainable development concept, and in international and Russian practice.
Methods. For the study, I used the review of scientific sources, trends and forecasts, as well as methods of analysis and synthesis.
Results. The article considers the theoretical sustainable development discussion, and examines the methodological features of approaches to rating agencies ESG principles in Russia and other countries.
Conclusions. The global crisis and geopolitical confrontations exacerbate the ambiguity problem of approaches to the sustainable development goals. Understanding the goals and principles of sustainable development varies significantly across countries. The globalization abandonment and shift to a multipolar world only increases the instability of the sustainable development methodological basis and ESG principles.

Keywords: sustainable development, ESG principles, ratings, globalization

References:

  1. Zainullin S.B., Zainullina O.A. [ESG approach as a threat factor for the energy industry]. Natsional'nye interesy: prioritety i bezopasnost', 2022, vol. 18, iss. 1, pp. 22–42. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.24891/ni.18.1.22 EDN: TEOAZK
  2. Zainullin S.B., Pereladov A., Pinaev V. et al. [ESG principles: What they are and why companies should follow them]. Trudovoe pravo, 2022, no. 12, pp. 57–72. (In Russ.) URL: Link
  3. Zainullin S.B., Zainullina O.A. Scientific review digitalization of corporate culture as a factor influencing ESG investment in the energy sector. International Review, 2021, no. 1-2, pp. 130–136. DOI: 10.5937/intrev2102132z EDN: UXBTUJ
  4. Takhingov K.Kh., Bisultanova A.A. [ESG Principles: An objective need for implementation]. Ekonomika i biznes: teoriya i praktika, 2022, no. 6-2, pp. 197–199. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.24412/2411-0450-2022-6-2-197-199 EDN: TLGQKQ
  5. Chernyshova M.V. [ESG and responsible institutional investment]. Nauchnye trudy Vol'nogo ekonomicheskogo obshchestva Rossii, 2021, pp. 98–120. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.38197/2072-2060-2021-229-3-98-120
  6. Izmailova M.A. [Implementation of ESG strategies of Russian companies under sanctions restrictions]. MIR (Modernizatsiya. Innovatsii. Razvitie), 2022, vol. 13, iss. 2, pp. 185–201. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.18184/2079-4665.2022.13.2.185-201 EDN: BHXXJT
  7. Baum R. Sustainable development – A modern understanding of the concept. Roczniki (Annals), 2021, no. 2021, pp. 2–22. DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.324086
  8. Skene K. No goal is an island: The implications of systems theory for the Sustainable Development Goals. Environment Development and Sustainability, 2020, no. 23. DOI: 10.1007/s10668-020-01043-y
  9. Mavrin A.N., Posadov I.A., Trishankov V.V. et al. [Esg strategy as a conceptual vision for institutional business design in the format of a high-tech product lifecycle contract]. Voprosy innovatsionnoi ekonomiki, 2023, vol. 13, iss. 1, pp. 193–214. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.18334/vinec.13.1.117549 EDN: GABHSO
  10. Merzlikina G.S. [Crisis of the sustainable development concept: the main attributive sign]. Ekonomika, predprinimatel'stvo i pravo, 2025, vol. 15, iss. 8. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.18334/epp.15.8.123674 EDN: JPYRRG
  11. Cheever F., Dernbach J.C. Sustainable Development and its Discontents. Transnational Environmental Law, 2015, no. 4, pp. 247–287. URL: Link
  12. Allen C., Metternicht G., Wiedmann T. Prioritising SDG targets: Assessing baselines, gaps and interlinkages. Sustainability Science, 2019, no. 14, pp. 421–438. DOI: 10.1007/s11625-018-0596-8
  13. Zav'yalova T.V., Vinogradova O.S. [Sustainable development as a new component of the global economy]. Vestnik Moskovskogo universiteta. Seriya 6. Ekonomika, 2025, vol. 60, iss. 1, pp. 207–230. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.55959/MSU0130-0105-6-60-1-10 EDN: ECNVXL
  14. Espahbodi L.N., Espahbodi R., Juma N. et al. Sustainability priorities, corporate strategy, and investor behavior. Review of Financial Economics, 2019, no. 37, pp. 149–167. DOI: 10.1002/rfe.1052
  15. Shatskaya E.Yu. [Russian institutions of sustainable development amidst global trends]. Kreativnaya ekonomika, 2022, vol. 16, iss. 3, pp. 1171–1188. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.18334/ce.16.3.114365 EDN: YJGQJY
  16. Makarov I.N., Drobot E.V., Nazarenko V.S. et al. [Sustainable innovative development, green economy and human capital: The basic triad of the state policy of regional economic development]. Ekonomika, predprinimatel'stvo i pravo, 2023, vol. 13, iss. 12. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.18334/epp.13.12.120516 EDN: TCLIAE
  17. Drobot E.V. [Analysis of sustainability criteria in modern corporate social responsibility indices]. Sotsial'noe predprinimatel'stvo i korporativnaya sotsial'naya otvetstvennost', 2021, vol. 2, iss. 3, pp. 221–232. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.18334/social.2.3.112090 EDN: HKBQRK
  18. Lele Sh.M. Sustainable development: A critical review. World Development, 1991, no. 19, pp. 607–621. DOI: 10.1016/0305-750X(91)90197-P EDN: HKTYWR
  19. Divrik B. Critical approaches to the concept of sustainable development. International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 2022, no. 6, pp. 26–29. DOI: 10.22161/ijreh.6.3.4
  20. Attaran A. An immeasurable crisis? A criticism of the Millennium Development Goals and why they cannot be measured. PLOS Medicine, 2005, no. 2. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.0020318
  21. Orel A.A. [Analysis of international experience of sustainable development of territories]. Zhurnal pravovykh i ekonomicheskikh issledovanii, 2023, no. 2, pp. 227–232. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.26163/GIEF.2023.55.64.034 EDN: TPNUDK
  22. Sandowski E., Harris B.J. Is there a crisis of sustainable development? International Dialogue, 2018, no. 8. DOI: 10.32873/uno.dc.ID.8.1.1149
  23. Kochemasova E.Yu. [Actual problems of sustainable development and their solution in Russia]. Mir novoi ekonomiki, 2020, vol. 14, iss. 3, pp. 75–82. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.26794/2220-6469-2020-14-3-75-82 EDN: PDIQYP
  24. Kadomtseva M.E. [Conceptual aspects of sustainable development of economic systems: Evolution of approaches and modern paradigm]. Izvestiya Saratovskogo universiteta. Novaya seriya. Seriya: Ekonomika. Upravlenie. Pravo, 2021, vol. 21, iss. 3, pp. 263–270. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.18500/1994-2540-2021-21-3-263-270 EDN: MXYCRJ

View all articles of issue

 

ISSN 2311-875X (Online)
ISSN 2073-2872 (Print)

Journal current issue

ISSUE 3
MARCH 2026

Archive

Видите ошибку в отчестве? Отключите перевод, это английская версия сайта!