SYSTEM OF ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS FOR THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF TERRITORIES: THE CASE OF THE UNITED KINGDOM

Abstract

The article examines environmental indicators as a tool for assessing the sustainable development of the United Kingdom’s economy. It demonstrates that the contemporary British monitoring system is based on a combination of climate, resource, and ecosystem indicators, which make it possible to assess not only the reduction of environmental pressure but also the contribution of natural capital to economic well-being. Based on official UK statistics, the study analyzes six key groups of indicators: greenhouse gas emissions, the carbon efficiency of the economy, air quality, waste management, the condition of water bodies, biodiversity, and natural capital. The article concludes that the United Kingdom has made significant progress in decarbonization and in reducing air pollution; however, serious structural problems remain in the areas of biodiversity, the aquatic environment, and the transition from a linear to a circular economic model.