Tools of environmentally responsible budget policy in Russia: Classification, effectiveness, and application challenges

Vollständiger Abstract

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Subject. A set of instruments of environmentally responsible budget policy (incentive, prohibitive and restrictive, budget‑expenditure, and institutional‑accounting ones) used in the Russian Federation and abroad, as well as the methodological foundations for their integration into the budget process. Objectives. To analyze the effectiveness of the existing green budgeting toolkit in Russia, to identify problems in its application, and to substantiate the need to develop a unified methodological framework for the systemic greening of budget policy. Methods. Theoretical and comparative analysis, classification, and systematization of data were applied. Results. A classification of instruments of environmentally responsible budget policy was carried out. It was revealed that, despite the presence of certain measures (BAT‑related benefits, green bonds, the “Ecology” national project), their effectiveness is limited due to low pollution payment rates, fragmented incentives, and the lack of a unified accounting methodology. The need to introduce green labeling of budget expenditures, environmental auditing, and a unified taxonomy was substantiated. Conclusions and Relevance. To achieve strategic environmental goals, a transition from ad‑hoc measures to systemic green budgeting is necessary. This requires legislative consolidation of a methodological framework that includes uniform criteria for classifying expenditures, strengthening fiscal incentives, and integrating environmental risks into budget planning. The results can be used by the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation, as well as regional authorities when shaping state tax and budget policy aimed at achieving sustainable development goals and ensuring environmental safety.