Energy: World Trends, the Situation in the Russian Federation and Siberia, Recommendations on Sustainable Development of the Lake Baikal Region

The paper reveals a dual role of energy in the problems of life support and sustainable development. It presents a brief characteristic of the main problems in the development of the fuel and energy complex of Russia compared with world trends. The possibilities for energy development in the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia are evaluated. The problems of nature-protecting energy supply of the Lake Baikal zone are considered. Specific tasks of the regional policy for Siberia which will make it possible to overcome the crisis and achieve the transition to sustainable-energy development are formulated.