National «Green» Taxonomy and challenges of ESG-transformation in Russian agriculture

The research focus of the article is on the issues of the ESG-transformation of Russian agriculture and agro-industrial complex, primarily through consideration of the investment structure of the industry and the features of the national green taxonomy adopted in 2021. In the framework of this work, a number of conclusions were made, based, in particular, on the idea of the differential structuring of the national taxonomy model, where the largest greenhouse gas emitting sectors were in the structure of green projects. The rest, with relatively lower carbon emissions, are in the structure of adaptation projects. Despite the declared need for a proportional increase in private (extrabudgetary) financing, nevertheless, the role of the state continues to be dominant in the industry. At the same time, despite the commitment to the principles of sustainable development declared by major industry actors, the volume of eco-investments in Russian agriculture and the agro-industrial complex is demonstrating an alarming downward trend. The significance of the national «green» taxonomy approved by the Russian government and the incorporation of agriculture into its structure as a separate direction is positively assessed. At the same time, attention is drawn to the presence of undisclosed or opaque items in the conceptual and content elements of the taxonomy.