INCLUSIVE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: ASSESSING THE DISTRICTS’ SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL INCLUSION IN BULGARIA

Abstract

Social and environmental aspects are an essential element of the concept of sustainable development. Their comparison with economic achievements provides an opportunity to assess and adapt development by applying more sustainable approaches. In the article, social dimensions are the subject of an assessment that is used to rank and compare the districts in Bulgaria. An index assessment is applied that quantitatively defines the achievement of socially inclusive development and is based on an index of social progress. The twenty eight districts were assessed using data from 2022 and 2023, in order to identify the change in the state of inclusive regional development in the country compared to 2018 and to highlight trends.