BALANCED DEVELOPMENT OF THE TERRITORY: APPROACHES TO DETERMINATION AND ASSESSMENT
Background. Crisis phenomena that have developed in modern realities (systemic economic crisis, climatic deformations, environmental degradation, increased social inequality) actualize research on balanced development, which is possible only if the balance of social, environmental and economic factors is observed. This article discusses the theoretical and methodological aspects of the balanced sustainable development of territories in the regional aspect, provides a detailed description and comparative analysis of the economic categories "balanced development" and "sustainable development", determines their relationship. Materials and methods . The methodological basis of the study was the works of domestic scientists devoted to the issues of balanced development of the territory and approaches to its assessment. The basis of the study is the analysis of cause-and-effect relationships of the problems of the territorial development system in the context of the need to maintain a balance of social, environmental and economic interests. Abstract-logical method, analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, systematic approach and modeling were used to solve the research problems. Results. To assess the level of balance in the development of the Penza region, the authors proposed to use a three-factor model for assessing the level of balance in the economic activity of the region. The methodology was tested on statistical data for the Penza region for the period 2019-2020. Conclusions. The calculations carried out according to the chosen methodology made it possible to draw conclusions about the level of balance in the development of the Penza region for the analyzed period, to identify bottlenecks and available reserves to enter a sustainable development trajectory.