Igor A. Makarov

On January 28, 2026, the Centre for Water Resources Research of the Institute for Economics of Natural Resources and Climate Change at HSE University held its first Water Workshop. Participants discussed institutional constraints and opportunities for regional cooperation in the field of water security, with a particular focus on Kazakhstan.

An article by Igor Makarov, Director of the HSE Institute for Economics of Natural Resources and Climate Change, co-authored with Elizaveta Smolovik, Junior Research Fellow at the Laboratory for the Climate Change Economics, has been published in Energy Research & Social Science, one of the leading international journals in the field of energy and social research. The study analyses which countries stand to gain or lose in the context of the global energy transition.

Igor Makarov, Director of the HSE Institute for Economics of Natural Resources and Climate Change, delivered a lecture on the future of sustainable development and the role of BRICS countries in shaping a new global agenda beyond 2030.

Igor Makarov, Director of the HSE Institute for Economics of Natural Resources and Climate Change, and Anastasia Likhacheva, Dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at HSE University and Director of the Centre for Water Resources Research, took part in the session "Security in Eurasia: Economic Dimensions" held as part of the Eurasian Conference of the Valdai International Discussion Club.

On December 11, 2025, a special event was held to mark the launch of the Institute for Economics of Natural Resources and Climate Change at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs of HSE University. The programme featured presentations by the heads of the Institute’s divisions outlining its key areas of work, the launch of a special issue of the journal  Contemporary World Economy, and an expert discussion on the outcomes of COP30 in Brazil.

From 3 to 5 December 2025, the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at HSE University hosted the XIII Annual Conference on the World Economy, “BRICS and Rethinking the Global Economic Order”. Staff members of the Institute for Economics of Natural Resources and Climate Change at HSE University took part in the conference, presenting a number of academic papers.

On 28 November 2025, an expert and academic seminar entitled “International Cooperation on Climate Change: Current State and Future Prospects” was held. The event was organised by the Institute for Macroeconomic and Regional Studies (Uzbekistan) in cooperation with the Institute for Economics of Natural Resources and Climate Change at HSE University, with the support of Gazprombank.

At the SCO Forum on Sustainable Development, Igor Makarov, Director of the Institute for Economics of Natural Resources and Climate Change at HSE University, presented an overview of the key strands of the international debate on the evolution of the Sustainable Development Agenda beyond 2030.

Igor Makarov, Director of the Institute for Economics of Natural Resources and Climate Change at HSE University, spoke at the T20 Final Summit, the expert track of the G20, held in Johannesburg. In his address, he focused on the role of critical metals for African countries and the need to shape resource policy based on their own long-term interests rather than the external expectations of importing countries.

Igor Makarov, Head of the Laboratory for the Climate Change Economics, gave an extensive interview on the US economy on RT’s Worlds Apart programme.

Igor Makarov, Head of the Laboratory for Climate Change Economics, spoke at the Global Strategic Dialogue organised by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in cooperation with China Daily. The discussion featured eight leading experts from around the world, including former UN Under-Secretary-General Erik Solheim, as well as prominent researchers from China and Western countries.

Igor Makarov, Head of the Laboratory for Climate Change Economics, took part in the international seminar "Rethinking Connectivity: New Geography, New Markets, and New Infrastructure" held in Dubai. Igor Makarov spoke at a session devoted to the role of critical metals and minerals in the global economy, highlighting the key challenges currently facing resource-rich countries.

Researchers from the Laboratory for Climate Change Economics took part in the International Scientific and Practical Conference on Ecology and Climate Change (ICECC), held at the Sirius University of Science and Technology from 14 to 16 September.

At the Eastern Economic Forum, Igor Makarov took part in two sessions devoted to climate policy and the adaptation of the economy to new challenges.

HSE University and the University of Campinas (UNICAMP, Brazil) have announced the launch of a major joint research project to develop new approaches to an alternative international financial system. The initiative, which brings together leading experts in global economics and finance, seeks to analyse the current state of international financial architecture and explore ways of transforming it in the context of a changing geopolitical landscape.

Head of the Laboratory for Climate Change Economics at HSE University, Igor Makarov, delivered a lecture titled "Sustainable development beyond 2030: Towards the New Agenda" at the 6th Unicamp International School on Development Challenges in Brazil. In his presentation, he stressed the need to rethink the global sustainable development agenda and to transform existing economic models.

The School-Conference "International Climate Diplomacy" took place from 12 to 15 August at the Sirius University of Science and Technology, bringing together 68 outstanding students and young researchers from 34 leading universities and research centres across the country.

Researchers from HSE University and the Russian Academy of Sciences have assessed the levels of climate risks across Russian regions. Using five key climate risks—heatwaves, water stress, wildfires, extreme precipitation, and permafrost degradation—the scientists ranked the country’s regions according to their need for adaptation to climate change. Krasnoyarsk Krai, Irkutsk Region, and Sverdlovsk Region rank among the highest for four of the five climate risks considered. The study has been published in Science of the Total Environment.

Head of the Laboratory for Climate Change Economics at HSE University, Igor Makarov, spoke to China’s Global Times about the prospects for Russia–China economic cooperation, the challenges of the global energy transition, and Russia’s place in the evolving architecture of international trade.

Igor Makarov, Head of the Laboratory for Climate Change Economics, took part in the session "Transitional Climate Risks 2.0: From West to East".

Igor Makarov, Head of the Laboratory for Climate Change Economics, presented the idea "Russia’s Water Potential" to President Vladimir Putin during the plenary session of the forum "Powerful Ideas for a New Time".

Experts from HSE University took part in the BRICS Academic Forum (FABRICS) held in the capital of Brazil this year. The main theme of the event was to discuss cooperation among countries in the Global South amid geopolitical turbulence and rapid technological change. Academics and experts from BRICS member states and partner nations explored topics such as global healthcare, AI technologies, trade, climate change, and reform of the multilateral global security and governance architecture.

This year, the T20 (Think20) conference, the expert engagement track of the G20, was held from 19 to 20 June in Pretoria, South Africa.

Igor Makarov, Elizaveta Smolovik, and Matvey Chistikov contributed to the article  "Heuristic Relative Assessment of Climate Risks in Russian Regions", published in Science of the Total Environment  – one of the most highly cited international journals in the field of environmental research.

Igor Makarov, Head of the Laboratory for Climate Change Economics at HSE University, and Egor Muravyov, an expert at the same laboratory, took part in the round table "Uzbekistan’s Chairmanship Priorities at the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia: Achievements and Prospects for Regional Consolidation", held at the International Institute for Central Asia in Tashkent.

From April 15 to 18, HSE University hosted the XXV Yasin (April) International Academic Conference on Economic and Social Development. Researchers from the Laboratory for Climate Change Economics presented their work at the event.

The report was prepared by the BRICS Expert Council – Russia with the support of the BRICS Think Tank Council (BTTC), following Russia’s 2024 presidency of the group.

The English-language journal Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics has published an article titled  “Climate Risks in Russia: Ranking of Regions by Adaptation Needs” by Igor Makarov, Head of the Laboratory for Climate Change Economics, and Alexander Chernokulsky, Associate Professor at the Joint Department with the RAS Institute of Geography.

Igor Makarov, Head of the Laboratory for Climate Change Economics, gave an interview to the Observer Research Foundation on the sidelines of the Cape Town Conversation, discussing key aspects of the global energy transition.

Researchers from the Laboratory for Climate Change Economics took part in the 12th Annual Conference on the Global Economy, titled  “Challenges of catch-up: Emerging countries in the global economy”, organized by the School of World Economy at the HSE University.

Igor Makarov, Head of the Laboratory for Climate Change Economics, took part in the session  “Mineral Mavericks: Balancing Extraction, Security, and Sustainability”, which focused on the role of critical minerals in the global economy.

Addressing the Eastern Economic Forum, HSE University's experts discussed the role of universities in the integrated development of territories, Russia-China cooperation on carbon neutrality, and the role of businesses and non-profit organisations in society's pursuit of a better future.

On July 24, the opening of the Russian-African conference “Russia– Africa: a Strategy for Cooperation in a Multipolar World” took place in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), which was attended by A.B. Likhacheva, Dean of the Faculty of World Economics and International Affairs of the Higher School of Economics, as well as F.A. Lukyanov, I.A. Makarov and A.A. Maslov.

Igor Makarov, Head of Laboratory on Climate Change Economics, participated in the session “The Price Is Transition: Who Gets it All?” of BRICS Academic Forum.

The Second Saint-Petersburg Congress on International Studies was held in St. Petersburg from April 25 to 27. Within the agenda of the Congress, the Laboratory on Climate Change Economics organized a session "Global Climate Policy in the Context of Geopolitical Transformations"

Igor Makarov, Laboratory's Head, and Sedat Alataş, Research Fellow at Aydın Adnan Menderes University, have published an article "Towards consumption-based emissions accounting: From calculation to policymaking" in "International Organisations Research Journal".

Igor Makarov, Laboratory's Head, and Sedat Alataş, Research Fellow at Aydın Adnan Menderes University, have published an article "Production- and consumption-based emissions in carbon exporters and importers: A large panel data analysis for the EKC hypothesis" in "Applied Energy".

Igor Makarov, Laboratory's Head, and Anna Shuranova, Lab's Research Assistant, have published an article "Climate Change as a New Factor of International Relations" in the Journal of International Analytics

What risks is the Russian financial system facing today? What is the Central Bank of Russia going to do to mitigate them? Why do we need a high key rate? Has the regulator changed its approach to the building of forex reserves? Will the regulator remain hawkish on cryptocurrencies? Ksenia Yudaeva, First Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Russia, answered these and other questions during a round table entitled ‘Russia’s Financial Sector under New Global Conditions’. The event was held as part of the XXIII Yasin (April) International Academic Conference.

Participants of the discussion ‘Trading in Allowances for GhG Emissions at Sub-national Level: Ways to Use International Best Practices in Russia’ analysed how the emissions trading system will work and what place nuclear power will occupy in the carbon-free world. The event was held as part of the session ‘Problems of Decarbonization of the World Economy’ of the XXIII Yasin (April) International Academic Conference.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused global economic, social and technological transformations. Experts from HSE University and other education and research institutions from various countries discussed these transformations and other relevant trends for the future at the 3rd International Conference ‘East and West at the Stage of New Transformations: The Post-Covid Changes’.

The UN Climate Change Conference is taking place from October 31 to November 12 in Glasgow. The conference focuses on preventive measures against the catastrophic and irreversible consequences of rising average global air temperatures. Igor Makarov, Head of the HSE Laboratory for Economics of Climate Change, will be taking part in the Glasgow conference. In the following interview, he speaks about the pressing problems Russia and the world are facing, and the research HSE scholars are doing on climate change.

On October 27, an online presentation of the book by Professor Yuqing Xing (National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Japan) was held by the Centre for Comprehensive European and International Studies (CCEIS) in cooperation with the Department of World Economy of the Higher School of Economics. The presentation was dedicated to revealing the phenomenon of the Chinese export miracle through the prism of global value chains. The discussion touched upon the issues of the Chinese experience for emerging economies, the current realities of economic cycles, and the factor of US-China decoupling and its impact on the global economy.

The Second Summer/Winter School of the BRICS Network University "BRICS and Sustainable Development", organized by the Center of International Cooperation of World Economy and International Affairs, ended on July 5.

At the XXII April International Conference, the report "Russia's Arctic Policy: International Aspects", made under the leadership of Sergey Karaganov, was presented. The report was co-authored by the CCEIS staff Anastasia Likhacheva, Vasily Kashin, Dmitry Suslov, Igor Makarov and Ilya Stepanov.

The global economy’s pace of recovery after the pandemic largely depends on whether consumers will return to a hedonic style of consumption. At the XXII April International Academic Conference, organized by the HSE and Sberbank, the HSE School of World Economy held a round table ‘The World Economy in the Context of the Coronavirus Pandemic’.

To improve its global competitiveness, Russia needs an independent environmental agenda along with a concept for environmental protection, and it makes sense to suggest a ‘global clean deal’ to Europe. A report outlining this, prepared by a team of experts from HSE University, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and environmentalists, was presented at TASS.

The idea for the project, which studies the crisis experience, was born at HSE University’s Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs last spring, when it became clear that the pandemic and lockdown had given rise to a new systemic crisis, based on numerous contradictions that have accumulated in the world over the past decades. The results of the scientific Lessons from the Crises of the Past project have been presented to the portal's news service by Igor Makarov, Head of HSE University’s School of World Economy.

On December 16-17, 2020, experts, diplomats, regional and oriental scholars from 36 countries and six regions of Russia met on the virtual platform of the Higher School of Economics to discuss new trends of regionalization and de-globalization in the world development. These trends were vividly manifested in Asia during the last year - the period of extraordinary upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

An applied research project being carried out by the HSE Laboratory for Economics of Climate Change uses the example of the Chechen Republic and the mountainous areas of Krasnodar Krai to create a model of climate risk evaluation and management for Russian regions. Laboratory heads Igor Makarov and Ilya Stepanov talk about the threats presented by global climate change, about whether the pandemic will slow it down, and why a multifaceted approach is essential.

How high is the risk of a full-blown financial crisis after the pandemic? Which countries and regions are most at risk? Are national governments managing to cope with the challenge of preventing economic collapse? Such topics were the focus of attention at the annual conference organised by the HSE University Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs.

Senior Research Fellow of CCEIS, Igor Makarov, took part in the scientific seminar “The Arctic Region: State Policy and Development in Conditions of Uncertainty”, which was organized by Valdai International Discussion Club.

The results of the 'Steal the Wheel’ Competition have been decided. Entrants suggested implementing some useful practices at HSE that had proved their efficiency at other Russian or international universities, with the winners receiving their prizes at the beginning of December. The winning projects include new approaches to writing theses, organising space in classrooms, and submitting reports on academic trips.

On July 6, 2016, the VI International Russian-Chinese Summer School on International Affairs came to a close. Run jointly by the HSE Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs and East China Normal University, with sponsorship provided by the Gorchakov Fund, this year’s school focused on the role of institutions in the new global governance architecture.