ANALYSIS OF THE INDUSTRIAL COMPANIES ECOLOGICAL IMPACT WITHIN THE SCOPE OF STABLE GROWTH
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31413/nat.v14i2.20578Keywords:
ecological footprint, industrial enterprises, sustainable development, biocapacity, carbon emissions, resource efficiencyAbstract
The article examines the ecological footprint of industrial enterprises within the framework of sustainable development, viewing it as a key indicator of anthropogenic pressure on the environment. The assessment of the ecological footprint allows for a comprehensive understanding of the imbalance between resource consumption and the biocapacity of territories. It reflects not only the scale of energy use and emissions but also the effects of water withdrawal, material flows, and spatial infrastructure on ecosystem sustainability. The study employs an integrated five-component model including energy, water, material, waste, and infrastructure components. All indicators are converted into global hectares according to the Global Footprint Network’s methodology. Based on official statistics for six central regions of Ukraine during 2021–2024, the analysis reproduces the dynamics of resource consumption and pollution by industrial enterprises. Results show that the energy component dominates the ecological footprint structure (over 90%), confirming the industry’s strong dependence on fossil fuels. Other components, such as water, materials, waste, and infrastructure, contribute less but remain significant. While 2021–2023 indicated a decline in resource intensity and emissions, a moderate rebound in 2024 revealed a persistent environmental imbalance. The proposed model supports eco-passporting of enterprises, regional monitoring, and modernization programs using the best available technologies.
Keywords: ecological footprint; industrial enterprises; sustainable development; biocapacity; carbon emissions; resource efficiency.
References
BUDIHARDJO, S.; HADI, S. P.; SUTIKNO, S.; PURWANTO, P. The ecological footprint analysis for assessing the carrying capacity of the industrial zone in Semarang. Journal of Human Resource and Sustainability Studies, v. 1, n. 2, p. 14-20, 2013. https://doi.org/10.4236/jhrss.2013.12003
CAETANO, R. V.; MARQUES, A. C.; AFONSO, T. L. From carbon leakage to (re) industrialization: an assessment of the ecological footprint of imports in developed countries. Journal of Cleaner Production, v. 487, e144627, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.144627
CHAURASIA, M.; SRIVASTAVA, S. K.; YADAV, S. P. Evaluating sustainability: a comparison of carbon footprint metrics evaluation criteria. Nature Environment and Pollution Technology, v. 23, n. 4, p. 2469-2476, 2024. https://doi.org/10.46488/NEPT.2024.v23i04.053
EUROPEAN COMMISSION. DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR ENVIRONMENT. Recommendation on the use of Environmental Footprint methods. Brussels: European Commission, 2021. Available on: https://green-forum.ec.europa.eu/green-business/environmental-footprint-methods_en
FENG, K.; BAO, C. The impact of environmental management capabilities on the economic value added of industrial enterprises - Empirical evidence from China. Sustainability, v. 16, n. 8, e3356, 2024. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16083356
GLOBAL FOOTPRINT NETWORK. Home - Ecological Footprint. 2025. Available on: https://www.footprintnetwork.org/
GU, Y.; XU, J.; WANG, H.; LI, F. Industrial water footprint assessment: methodologies in need of improvement. Environmental Science & Technology, v. 48, n. 12, p. 6531-6532, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1021/es502162w
HESS, J. C. Chip production’s ecological footprint: mapping climate and environmental impact. Berlin: Interface, 2024. 62p. Available on: https://www.interface-eu.org/index.php/publications/chip-productions-ecological-footprint
HUANG, X.; CHEN, R.; ZHUANG, E. H. H.; KONG, S.; ZHIQUAN, Y.; KONG, Y. Environmental footprint in specific industries: intellectual base and research status. Carbon Footprints, v. 4, e18, 2025. https://doi.org/10.20517/cf.2025.32
IMPACT FUND DENMARK. Methodology for the analysis of IFU’s portfolio carbon footprint. Investment fund for Developing Countries, 2024. 10p. Available on: https://impactfund.dk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/portfolio-carbon-footprint-methodology-march-2024.pdf
KHAKIMOVNA, S. M.; ANVAR OGLU, D. A. Methods for assessing the environmental impact of large industrial enterprises on the regional economy. Academia Open, v. 10, n. 1, e10466, 2025. https://doi.org/10.21070/acopen.10.2025.10466
KHEZRI, M.; MAMGHADERI, M.; RAZZAGHI, S.; HESHMATI, A. Comprehensive environmental assessment index of ecological footprint. Environmental Management, v. 71, n. 2, p. 465-482, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-022-01747-z
KHEZRI, M.; MAMKHEZRI, J. Evaluating the ecological footprints of entrepreneurial activities: insights from a cross-country assessment. Technology in Society, v. 81, e102815, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102815
KUPALOVA, H.; HONCHARENKO, N.; ANDRUSIV, U.; OLESHKO, E.; DEMCHENKO, K. Ecological modernization of production for innovative development of industrial enterprises. Financial and Credit Activity: Problems of Theory and Practice, v. 1, n. 60, p. 512-521, 2025. https://doi.org/10.55643/fcaptp.1.60.2025.4606
LI, H.; ZHOU, X.; GAO, L.; LIANG, J.; LIU, H.; LI, Y.; CHEN, L.; GUO, Y.; LIANG, S. Carbon footprint assessment and reduction strategies for aquaculture: a review. Journal of the World Aquaculture Society, v. 56, n. 1, e13117, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1111/jwas.13117
LI, Q.; ZHANG, S. Impact of globalization and industrialization on ecological footprint: do institutional quality and renewable energy matter? Frontiers in Environmental Science, v. 13, e1535638, 2025. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1535638
MADJIDOVA, T. R.; BOBOEVA, G. S.; KELDIYAROVA, G. F. Environmental impact assessment of industrial enterprises (on the example of objects of category I, II of environmental impact in the Samarkand region). E3S Web of Conferences, v. 265, e04025, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202126504025
MAKEDON, V.; ZAIKINA, H.; SLUSAREVA, L.; SHUMKOVA, O.; ZHMAYLOVA, O. Use of rebranding in marketing sphere of international entrepreneurship. International Journal of Entrepreneurship, v. 24, n. 1S, 2020.
MAKEDON, V.; MYACHIN, V.; PLAKHOTNIK, O.; FISUNENKO, N.; MYKHAILENKO, O. Construction of a model for evaluating the efficiency of the technology transfer process based on a fuzzy logic approach. Eastern-European Journal of Enterprise Technologies, v. 2, n. 13, e128, 2024a. https://doi.org/10.15587/1729-4061.2024.300796
MAKEDON, V.; BUDKO, O.; SALYGA, K.; MYACHIN, V.; FISUNENKO, N. Improving strategic planning and ensuring the development of enterprises based on relational strategies. Theoretical and Practical Research in Economic Fields, v. 15, n. 4, p. 798-811, 2024b. https://doi.org/10.14505/tpref.v15.4(32).02
MAKEDON, V.; POLITYKIN, M.; HROMYAK, S.; NOVOSAD, I.; DORONINA, I. The role of renewable energy in advancing SDG 7: ensuring clean and affordable energy. Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, v. 8, n. 2, p. 485-505, 2025. https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.080223
MAMMADOVA, G.; NURALIYEVA, R.; DUNHAMALIYEVA, H.; MUSAYEVA, S.; KHOLMURODOVA, D.; JUMANOV, A. Analysis of industrial enterprises’ impact on atmospheric emissions. BIO Web of Conferences, v. 151, e04018, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1051/bioconf/202515104018
MIA, M. M.; RIZWAN, S.; ZAYED, N. M.; NITSENKO, V.; MIROSHNYK, O.; KRYSTAL, H.; OSTAPENKO, R. The impact of green entrepreneurship on social change and factors influencing AMO theory. Systems, v. 10, n. 5, e132, 2022. https://doi.org/10.3390/systems10050132
MUTHU, S. S. (Ed.). Ecological footprint of industrial spaces and processes. Cham: Springer, 2024. 80p. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-69047-1
OECD. The carbon footprint of everything Paris: OECD Publishing, 2025. 24p. Available on: https://doi.org/10.1787/ae22f8e8-en. (Net Zero+ Policy Papers, No. 6).
ODREKHIVSKYI, M.; KOHUT, U.; KOLOMATSKYI, V.; HORBAL, N.; WOLOWIEC, T.; DLUHOPOLSKA, T. Assessment and forecasting of the environmental sustainability statuses of innovative enterprises in the context of sustainable development. Sustainability, v. 17, n. 8, e3641, 2025. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17083641
OPREA, S.-V.; BÂRA, A.; GEORGESCU, I. A. Assessing the dynamics of ecological footprint in relation to economic and energy factors: a comparative analysis of Finland and Japan. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, v. 16, p. 11162-11197, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-024-02312-1
PACANA, A.; SIWIEC, D.; NSIAH, T. K. Analysis of the ecological footprint of mining machines in the phase of material extraction and processing in LCA. Acta Montanistica Slovaca, v. 29, n. 2, p. 384-392, 2024. https://doi.org/10.46544/AMS.v29i2.12
PELYUKH, O.; ILKIV, M.; TIYKO, O.; SOLOVIY, I.; CHELEPIS, T.; LAVNYY, V. Ecological footprint of wood-based products in the Ukrainian Carpathians region. Drewno Wood, v. 68, e215, 2025. https://doi.org/10.53502/wood-196630
PETROVA, V. Assessment of the ecological footprint of industrial processes: an integrated approach to life cycle analysis. The Eurasia Proceedings of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics, v. 26, p. 67-74, 2023.
PETRUKHA, S. Rural economy: directions of new theorization and implementation of best European financial regulation practices. Financial and Credit Activity: Problems of Theory and Practice, v. 5, n. 40, p. 454-464, 2021. https://doi.org/10.18371/fcaptp.v5i40.245198
PETRUKHA, N.; ANDRIEIEV, A.; MUKHIN, O.; MOROZOV, O.; STEBLETSKIY, I. Economic and social impacts of armed conflicts: assessing the effects of military operations on development. Edelweiss Applied Science and Technology, v. 8, n. 6, p. 2270-2281, 2024. https://doi.org/10.55214/25768484.v8i6.2424
SHMATKOVSKA, T.; DZIAMULYCH, M.; VAVDIIUK, N.; PETRUKHA, S.; KORETSKA, N.; BILOCHENKO, A. Trends and conditions for the formation of profitability of agricultural enterprises: a case study of Lviv region, Ukraine. Universal Journal of Agricultural Research, v. 10, n. 1, p. 88-98, 2022. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujar.2022.100108
SHENG, Q. Y.; GUO, W.; ZHAO, M. L. Differentiated paths of regional green development driven by industrial enterprise innovation. Bulletin of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, v. 38, n. 1, e2024001, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1051/bcas/2024001
STATE STATISTICS SERVICE OF UKRAINE. Statistics by topics. 2025. Available on: https://stat.gov.ua/en
SUMETS, A.; KNIAZ, S.; HEORHIADI, N.; SKRYNKOVSKYY, R.; MATSUK, V. Methodological toolkit for assessing the level of stability of agricultural enterprises. Agricultural and Resource Economics: International Scientific E-Journal, v. 8, n. 1, p. 235-255, 2022a. https://doi.org/10.51599/are.2022.08.01.12
SUMETS, A.; TYRKALO, Y.; POPOVYCH, N.; POLIAKOVA, J.; KRUPIN, V. Modeling of the environmental risk management system of agroholdings considering the sustainable development values. Agricultural and Resource Economics: International Scientific E-Journal, v. 8, n. 4, p. 244-265, 2022b. https://doi.org/10.51599/are.2022.08.04.11
SUN, F.; JIA, Z.; SHEN, J.; XU, C.; HUANG, X.; SHANG, Z.; LI, S.; ZHANG, S. Research on the accounting and spatial effects of emergy ecological footprint and industrial green GDP - the case of Yangtze River Economic Belt. Ecological Indicators, v. 163, e112055, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2024.112055
UNIDO. Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Industrial Park Development Strategy Project for the Period up to 2030 (Draft). GEIPP-Ukraine / United Nations Industrial Development Organization, 2022. 28p. Available on: https://geipp-ukraine.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/09a.-State-Environmental-Assessment-of-the-IP-strategy-with-EIP.pdf
VORONINA, Y.; LOPUSHYNSKYI, I.; GRECHANYK, B.; VAHONOVA, O.; KONDUR, A.; AKIMOV, O. Economic and environmental component in the field of sustainable development management. Calitatea, v. 25, n. 201, p. 7-14, 2024. https://doi.org/10.47750/QAS/25.201.02
WANG, Q.; LI, Y.; LI, R. Ecological footprints, carbon emissions, and energy transitions: the impact of artificial intelligence (AI). Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, v. 11, e1043, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03520-5
WANG, B.; XU, R. How industrial output, economic growth, environmental technology, and globalization impact load capacity factor in E7 nations. Sustainability, v. 17, n. 4, e1419, 2025. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17041419
WOJCIECHOWSKI, H.; DOMAŃSKI, R. Assessment of the product carbon footprint of office equipment across the entire life cycle. Economics and Environment, v. 89, n. 2, e757, 2024. https://doi.org/10.34659/eis.2024.89.2.757
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
How to Cite
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Nativa
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Copyright for articles published in this journal are the authors, with first publication rights granted to the journal. The journal shows open access, and articles are free to use, with proper attribution, in educational and non-commercial.
The articles published in this journal may be reproduced in part or used as a reference by other authors, provided that the source is quoted.
