Dear friends,

The Russian Federation is taking extensive efforts towards sustainable national development and higher living standards. The national development goals set by Russian President Vladimir Putin declare government priorities that are consonant with the targets of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda endorsed by the UN General Assembly to preserve the population, human health and wellbeing and to ensure effective, decent work, successful entrepreneurship, and rational management of natural resources and the environment.

The Sverdlovsk region is one of Russia’s advanced, dynamically developing regions. This is an acknowledged industrial, scientific, educational and cultural center of the country. We are progressively implementing socioeconomic programs and projects aimed to improve the quality of life in the region. We also put emphasis on the innovative development of our vast industrial potential, and create conditions for better business climate and investment growth.

Economic success enables us to effectively develop the social sector, to increase incomes of our population, to improve the quality of life, and to give comprehensive social support to needy residents of the Urals, above all families with children.

The Sverdlovsk region has a deserved reputation of an important business center open to broad international cooperation. Major global companies are successfully operating in the region, which trades with partners from more than 150 countries. The Sverdlovsk region ranks third among Russian territories by the number of offices of other countries: 34 diplomatic and trade missions are accredited in Yekaterinburg.

The Sverdlovsk region regularly hosts large-scale international events. It has played host to SCO and BRICS summits, a Russia-EU summit, the Global Manufacturing and Industrialization Summit initiated by the UNIDO, the UN Habitat’s World Cities Day, and many other landmark events. The Sverdlovsk region is the venue of the annual industrial exhibition INNOPROM, which has had China, Japan, India, South Korea, Turkey and Italy as its partners.

Our region is preparing to host the Global Sport Business Summit under the aegis of the SportAccord Association in spring 2022. This global sport event annually brings together representatives of over a hundred international sports federations. Thematic conferences, official meetings and an exhibition of products from the participatory states will be held on the summit sidelines.

Our region will for the first time host the World University Games in 2023.

We are set to strengthen relations with UN agencies and other countries to achieve the common sustainable development goals.

I am inviting you to visit the Sverdlovsk region and to see its vast potential and opportunities with your own eyes.

Sincerely yours,
Sverdlovsk Region Governor
Yevgeny Kuivashev

INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACHIEVEMENT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS BY THE SVERDLOVSK REGION

GOAL 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere

Restrictive measures imposed in 2020 in connection with the coronavirus pandemic increased unemployment rates calculated consistent with the guidelines of the International Labor Organization (ILO) by 36.7% year-on-year, from 89,400 in 2019 to
122,200. The overall unemployment calculated consistent with the ILO guidelines grew by 1.6% over the year to 5.8% (4.2% in 2019).
The labor market situation has been steadily improving in the Sverdlovsk region since the beginning of 2021. The overall unemployment calculated consistent with the ILO guidelines reduced to 87,300 in April-June 2021, as against 101,700 in January-March 2021. Unemployment rates calculated consistent with the ILO guidelines went down 4.8% in April-June 2021, compared to 4.8% in January-March 2021.
In 2020, the share of residents with incomes below the subsistence minimum stood at 10.2% of the entire population of the region. This share has not been growing. Based on the national development goal set by Russian President Vladimir Putin to halve poverty levels before 2024, the Sverdlovsk region is taking systemic efforts to ensure a growth of salaries and social support to particular categories of residents.
An average monthly salary amounted to 43,154 rubles in the Sverdlovsk region in 2020. It grew by 4.9% year-on-year.
The “Poverty Reduction in the Sverdlovsk Region” program aims to practically halve the number of residents with incomes below the subsistence minimum to 5.6% by 2030. It is planned to allot 334.5 billion rubles for the program from federal, regional and local budgets, or 32-35 billion rubles per year on the average.

GOAL 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

The Sverdlovsk regional economy is mostly of an industrial type, yet it is practically capable to meet food demand of the local population.
The agro-industrial sector of the Sverdlovsk region consists of about 350 agricultural enterprises, about 500 food and beverage manufacturers, and about 800 farming enterprises. The Five-Year Development Plan of the Sverdlovsk Region has given impetus to the “Urals Milk for Every Home,” “Fresh Vegetables All Year Round” and “Every Village Comfortable” projects and has enlarged the supply of local agricultural produce. Nowadays, local manufacturers meet 74.3% of the demand for dairy products, 58.5% of the demand for meat and meat products, 100.2% of the demand for eggs and egg-based products, and 96.8% of the demand for potato.
Agricultural enterprises of the Sverdlovsk region mostly produce milk, meat, eggs, potato, vegetables and feed grain. Local manufacturers make all kinds of foods available in the market of the Sverdlovsk region.
Four national projects have been developed to boost the regional food security. These are “Higher Level of Self-Sufficiency in the Provision of Agricultural Products to the Population of the Sverdlovsk Region in 2017-2021,” “Agro-Industrial Exports of the Sverdlovsk Region,” “Acceleration of Small and Medium Entrepreneurship,” and “Targeted Acceleration of Labor Productivity at Enterprises.” The region also participates in the implementation of the “Comprehensive Development of Rural Territories” program aiming for the construction of affordable and comfortable homes and modern infrastructure and the labor market development.
Small entities, such as farms and agricultural cooperative societies, make a large input in the agricultural production. The government of the Sverdlovsk region is actively supporting small agricultural enterprises. In 2020, the government assigned five grants for the development of farms, 17 grants to farm novices, and three grants to agricultural cooperative societies.
The region is doing a lot to improve living conditions in the countryside – over 10,000 square meters of housing is built and up to 100 kilometers of gas mains are commissioned in villages every year with the budgetary funding.

GOAL 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

The average lifespan reached 71.8 years in the Sverdlovsk region in 2019. It reduced to 70.15 years in 2020 because of the pandemic.
An effective healthcare system, the development of mass sports, and public information campaigns are key elements of the promotion of a healthy lifestyle.
The region has modern health centers for adults and children and a substantial experience of high-tech medical aid. There is also a major eye microsurgery center that makes unique eyesight recovery surgeries and receives patients from all over the world. The Urals Institute of Cardiology ranks amongst Russia’s top five cardiovascular surgical centers by the volume of medical service.
The region has mother-and-child programs, in addition to programs raising the accessibility and quality of medical services, combating HIV/AIDS (Yekaterinburg is a member of the UNAIDS initiative to accelerate action in big cities: Ending the AIDS Epidemic), reducing infant mortality, providing early diagnostics through targeted medical checks of certain groups of the population, improving the quality of life of senior citizens, and helping people quit smoking.
The Sverdlovsk region gives much attention to mass sports.
There is a program aimed to improve the quality of life in the Sverdlovsk region in the period until 2030 called “New Quality of Life of the Urals Population.” The region is implementing a comprehensive program that involves the population in the prevention of diseases and raises public awareness of the healthy lifestyle.

GOAL 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Accessible quality education is a top priority of the government of the Sverdlovsk region.
The region has a high scientific and intellectual potential and is rightly viewed as a large scientific and educational center of Russia. Institutes of the Urals branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences are successfully operating in the region. Local higher educational establishments are internationally ranked among best universities. Colleges and universities of the Sverdlovsk region train their students in a great variety of fields, from metallurgy and mining to design and culture.
Educational establishments of the region and their foreign partners have student exchange, double degree and research cooperation programs.
The Sverdlovsk region seeks to achieve competitiveness of the regional education system by 2030. This requires the implementation of continuous education programs, the improvement of educational formats, and programs developing creativity, entrepreneurship and other knacks.

GOAL 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls"

The rights of women and girls are solidly protected on the legislative level in the Sverdlovsk region. Gender discrimination is not allowed, and regional trade unions and women’s non-profit organizations are active.
Women hold senior positions in the Sverdlovsk region – there are female members of the regional government, female mayors, and female deputies of various levels.
In 2020, the government of the Sverdlovsk region established dialogue with the UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia. The region holds events of various levels and exchanges information and best practices with representatives of international organizations and foreign partners to elaborate business strategies of social innovations that help achieve the sustainable development goals.
The 11th international industrial exhibition INNOPROM had plenary sessions on the development of female entrepreneurship and social wellbeing of women in the Sverdlovsk region with the participation of Meral Guzel, Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Policy Specialist of UN Women, and heads of international companies and organizations.

GOAL 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

The Sverdlovsk region is working to provide the population with clean water and accessible quality sanitation. The state program of the Sverdlovsk region, “The Rational and Safe Management of Natural Resources in the Sverdlovsk Region in the Period until 2024,” sets targets for the efficiency of capital repairs of municipal waterworks.
All wastewater in Yekaterinburg undergoes centralized treatment, and 97% of the city population has access to tap water. Average daily water consumption stands at 232 liters per capita.

GOAL 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

The Sverdlovsk region has a developed modern energy infrastructure. Gas, coal and atomic power plants operate in its territory.
The regional energy network was substantially modernized over the recent years. Some power plants commissioned advanced steam-gas units (totaling
2.3 GW) with high performance and ecological characteristics.
The energy network of the Sverdlovsk region is one of the largest in Russia. Its overall rated capacity amounted to 10,557 MW as of January 1, 2021. The largest electricity generating facilities are the Beloyarsk NPP, the Verkhnetagilskaya GRES, the Reftinskaya GRES, and the Sredneuralskaya GRES.
The region’s atomic energy industry is represented by the Beloyarsk NPP, which operates a fast-neutron unit BN-800 with a rated capacity of 880 MW. BN reactor units are very green and have natural safety. A BN-1200 reactor unit with a rated capacity of 1,220 MW will also be built in the Sverdlovsk region.
In addition, the region is actively developing renewable energy technologies. Hevel Group plans to commission three solar power plants with a total rated capacity of 28 MW in the Artinsky district by 2025.

GOAL 8: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all

The Sverdlovsk region is one of the most dynamically developing Russian regions that trades with partners from more than 150 countries. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the region increased foreign trade by 2.3% year-on-year in 2020. In terms of non-resource non-energy exports, the Sverdlovsk region ranks second in Russia.
Dynamic development of the regional economy makes it attractive to foreign labor migrants. Over 40,000 foreign labor migrants arrive in the Sverdlovsk region every year.
The Sverdlovsk region is also an industrial leader of Russia. Metallurgical and mechanical engineering plants are the cornerstone of the regional industrial sector. The region ranks Russia’s first by the volume of production of certain metal products, such as titanium. A third of steel pipes made in Russia come from the Sverdlovsk region. Non-ferrous metallurgical enterprises of the region supply high value added aluminum, copper and titanium products.
The second most important industrial sector is mechanical engineering, which mostly makes equipment. The region is Russia’s first by manufacturing drilling rigs, metallurgical equipment, freight cars, etc. The diversified machine-building sector of the region is known for machinery and equipment for energy and metallurgy, mining, chemical and oil industries, railways and transport.
The region has rather well developed agriculture and food industry. Nowadays, the Sverdlovsk region is a major industrial, transport and scientific center of Russia that contributes about 3% to the country’s GDP.
Being on the junction of trade and logistic routes, the Sverdlovsk region is the third largest transport hub of the country. This is largely determined by the role played by Sverdlovsk Railway, which is one of Russia’s top three railway networks. The Koltsovo Airport in the vicinity of Yekaterinburg is one of the largest, most modern and dynamically developing airports in Russia.

GOAL 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

The region has highly diversified economy centered on processing industries. Metallurgical and mechanical engineering plants are the most competitive industries.
There is developed transport and logistics infrastructure, and comfortable conditions are created for people with disabilities. The “Accessible Environment” program approved by a resolution of the government of the Sverdlovsk region has been in effect since 2014.
Being on the junction of trade and logistic routes, the Sverdlovsk region is the third largest transport hub of the country. This is largely determined by the role played by Sverdlovsk Railway, which handles 11% of all railway traffic in Russia. The Koltsovo International Airport with multimillion passenger traffic is also rapidly developing.
The Sverdlovsk region has a huge scientific potential accumulated over decades. In the past five years, the region has built a number of major innovative infrastructure elements: techno-parks, business incubators, and small innovative enterprises at higher educational establishments. There is a variety of measures supporting innovators.
Developing industries are the foundation of technical science research conducted in the Sverdlovsk region under the aegis of the Urals branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The branch unites 38 institutes employing over 3,300 researchers from several regions.
The Advanced Production and Technologies and Materials research and education center has been established as part of the “Science” national project to combine potentials of educational and academic institutions, enterprises, and real-sector companies for applied research and world-class development projects and creation and commercialization of competitive technologies and projects. In addition, the center trains personnel for scientific and technological projects aimed at breakthroughs and higher economic competitiveness of constituent territories embraced by the center.
A Contour Park is under construction on an area of 16.8 hectares in Yekaterinburg. It will accommodate offices of IT companies, an educational center, a public park, and a climbing wall.
The government of the Sverdlovsk region is interested in the steady influx of skilled personnel, which is the target of the “Urals Engineering School” project that improves the quality of vocational and higher technical education and engages graduates in manufacturing processes of the region.

GOAL10: Reduce inequality within and among countries

The regional policy aims for a higher quality of life and leveling off socioeconomic development of municipalities. It is planned to achieve high unified social standards in the fields of healthcare, education, cultural development, housing, public utilities, and other services both in big cities and in villages.
The government of the Sverdlovsk region is implementing the “New Quality of Life of the Urals Population” program. Officials, the population and businesses discuss pressing socioeconomic problems of the region in an open debate.
There is no judicial or law enforcement evidence of discrimination against residents of the Sverdlovsk region, including violations of their social and labor rights, for reasons of income, financial and proprietary status.
The “Poverty Reduction in the Sverdlovsk Region in the Period until 2030” program aims to considerably reduce the financial inequality of residents. The program promotes a growth of real disposable incomes, retraining, professional development, and a larger number of social benefit holders.

GOAL 11: Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

There are 47 cities, 26 workers' and urban settlements, and 1,804 rural settlements in the territory of the Sverdlovsk region. Local government is provided in 94 municipalities.
The Sverdlovsk region is implementing primary regional projects, such as “Development of Comfortable Urban Environment in the Sverdlovsk Region,” “Quality Housing and Public Utility Services in the Sverdlovsk Region,” and “Safe and Quality Roads.” Some 540 kilometers of roads were developed in the Middle Urals over 2021.
The quality of urban environment is improving, and the scale of housing construction is increasing. Seventy-seven public areas and 106 house yards were renovated in 54 municipalities of the Sverdlovsk region in 2020. Over the past three years, 83 parks, 36 squares and 21 embankments were revamped. Local residents are taking part in the renovation process. For instance, in 2020, about 552,000 residents took part in online votes on the development of public areas.
The Sverdlovsk region seeks to bring at least 85% of roads in urban agglomerations to the standard level by 2024.

GOAL 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

The shift of the Sverdlovsk region to rational consumption and production models is based on a targeted program approach supported by UN agencies, such as the UNIDO, the UNEP, and the UN-Habitat, and includes the following areas:
• Transformation of the regional economy based on technological modernization of manufacturing facilities and formation of a modern technological paradigm;
• Digital transformation of the economy and broader use of online services, alongside wide access to broadband Internet service;
• Transition of businesses to energy saving production models (lean production) and new types of fuel, use of energy saving technologies in urban public utilities.
These solutions are supported by the “Smart Region” and “Digital Economy” programs.

GOAL 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

The Sverdlovsk region has the Physics and Environment Laboratory conducting research in the fields of remote sensing of the atmosphere, climate modeling and Yamal permafrost monitoring.
In 2020, five academic institutions of the Sverdlovsk region accomplished 14 environmental research and development projects funded by private and public institutions. The projects addressed forestation, higher fuel efficiency and environmental safety of production facilities.
Public transport, electric vehicles and energy sectors that do not burn organic fuel are being developed to reduce climate change risks. The development of energy saving technologies, for instance, in city lighting projects, is also important.
Residential buildings are being equipped with water, gas, heating and electricity meters for the sake of rational use of energy resources.
In 2020, the government of the Sverdlovsk region signed an agreement on environmental cooperation with six enterprises, the biggest local sources of pollution. This is a voluntary agreement that demonstrates ecological responsibility of the enterprises and enables projects and programs aimed to reduce the harmful effect on the environment in the Sverdlovsk region in the period until 2030.
The Ural Carbon polygon is being established at the Urals Federal University to study the problem of carbon balance, to make research, and to help prepare specialists for monitoring climate active gases. The polygon will be an educational center offering tours, summer schools and master classes.

GOAL 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
The Sverdlovsk region is a land-locked territory.

GOAL 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

The Sverdlovsk region is the largest territory in Russia. It occupies the middle and, partially, the northern part of the Urals Mountains and the western outskirts of the West Siberian Plain.
As of January 1, 2020, the Sverdlovsk region had a territory of 19,430,000 hectares, including 13,349,500 hectares of forests. There are 133.5 hectares of forests per 100,000 residents in the Sverdlovsk region.
There are 66 mammal species, 254 bird species, 6 reptile species and 9 amphibian species in the Sverdlovsk region. The population of main game species is steadily on the rise.
A total of 576 violations of the hunting rules were uncovered in 2020, and claims totaling 6.299 million rubles were filed. There were 60 criminal cases against poachers. Forests are monitored by drones equipped with video cameras and thermal imagers.
The nature conservancy policy of the Sverdlovsk region is based on the regional strategy for nature management and environmental safety for the period until 2035. Efforts are focused on the implementation of the “Environmental Safety of the Sverdlovsk Region” sub-program and the “Rational and Safe Management of Natural Resources and Forestry Development in the Sverdlovsk Region in the Period until 2024” state program.
The nature conservancy policy envisages the provision of a state environmental protection and environmental safety institution with automatic stations for monitoring air pollution and gas analyzers, the preservation of biological diversity and the development of eco-tourism, environmental and radiation monitoring, environmental education of the population, reproduction of the mineral resource base, and the provision of decentralized water supply sources.

GOAL 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

The Sverdlovsk region, populated by people of over 160 nationalities, keeps inter-ethnic and inter-confessional peace.
More than 6,500 non-profit institutions, including over 3,000 civil organizations (among them over 60 regional branches of political parties and 22 national and cultural communities), more than 750 religious institutions and about 3,000 NGOs of other types, operate in the Sverdlovsk region.
The Sverdlovsk region is the home of Russia’s oldest institution of human rights commissioner (ombudsman). The ombudsman actively interacts with UN agencies. There are also three higher institutional establishments aligned to the Russian Human Rights Consortium and supported by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (the Urals Federal University, the Ural State Law University, and the Humanitarian University).

GOAL17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

The Sverdlovsk region ranks third among Russian territories by the number of offices of foreign states (34 diplomatic and trade missions are accredited in Yekaterinburg).
Working together with municipalities and NGOs, the government of the Sverdlovsk region puts emphasis on cooperation with UN agencies and takes an active part in the implementation of programs and projects aimed to achieve sustainable development goals on the regional level.
The region is implementing ecological education programs with the support of the UNEP, is improving urban infrastructure with the support of experts from the UN Habitat, is creating environmentally safe infrastructure and promoting sustainable regional industrial development together with the UNIDO center in Russia, and is hosting the activities of UNESCO Clubs since 1989.