Analysis of the dynamics and structure of expenses in Russia’s oil and gas complex over the 2000–2011 period and forecasts until 2020

The authors of this study analyze trends in operating and capital expenses in Russia’s oil and gas sector in 2000–2011 using available statistical data and give their forecast estimates for the industry in the medium-term perspective.     

Involvement of resources in Russia’s construction materials complex

The problems of using resources in the construction materials complex of the Russian Federation are reviewed in the paper. The processes of involvement of resources in the economic application in the main types of economic activities providing production of materials are analyzed. The scope of limitations of resources used in economic branches is revealed on the basis of research of corporate and financial development mechanisms. The necessity to strengthen reproduction processes in the country as a basis for the formation of demand for domestic constructional materials is substantiated.     

Processes and mechanisms of the long-term development of Russia’s construction materials complex

The paper considers the development mechanisms of the Russian construction materials complex and their role in its future. The means of efficient accumulation of capital are discussed within the inertial and constructive options of economic growth. Special attention is paid to problems of import substitution and added value of materials, as well as methods of their solution in the changing macroeconomic environment.     

Comparison of greenhouse gas emission forecasts in Russia’s energy sector for 2010–2060

A comparative analysis of forecasts of the dynamics of greenhouse gas emissions in the energy sector of the Russian Federation until 2060 is presented. The analysis has been fulfilled within recent years by groups of experts both from Russia and abroad. A database of 71 scenarios has been formed. The “range of disconformity” of the forecasts and the evolution of the forecasting estimates were studied which permitted to evaluate the possibilities of emissions limitation and to find out the configuration of the “solution space”: different combinations of improvement of the energy efficiency, development of low-carbon and carbonless technologies, as well as to reveal the character of the feedback between measures of the emission limitation policy and economic growth.     

Main Trends in the Development of World Transport and Russia’s Place in Them

The article has considered the main trends in the development of the a world transport system and general manifestations of prospective trends have been noted, including orientation to qualitative aspects of functioning and competition and interaction with various participants in the transport services market, as well as ambiguous consequences of rapid development of transport in modern conditions. Priority directions of the development of transport (on an example of a railway) in Russia have been given based on the positions of their connection to world trends.     

System and management problems of the electric power industry’s development in Russia

The current management system of Russia??s electric power industry??s development, including industry regulatory documents and mechanisms by which generating capacities are built up, is considered in the article. The management problems of the industry??s development are analyzed. Ways of its further improvement are suggested.     

Pricing in Russia’s sugar supply chains

The russian sugar market is considered as a production and logistics system that reflects the integration processes in the supply chain of goods. The existing plants can meet Russia??s domestic demand for sugar. To enter the international market, Russian companies need competitive prices, which can be obtained through the management of logistics costs. The development of a national stock exchange for trade in goods will have a positive effect on the formation of sugar supply chains.     

Investment policy and peculiarities of economic growth in Russia’s federal districts in 1999–2008

The article analyzes the investment policy and peculiarities of economic growth in Russia??s federal districts in 1999?C2003 and 2004?C2008, as well as in 1999?C2008 as a whole. Judgments are made regarding the choice of control parameters in the regulatory implementation system of regions?? own resources by federal districts, taking into account the need to reduce the differences in their socioeconomic state and development.     

Harmonization of domestic and world prices for raw-material products in Russia’s strategy of economic development

This article discusses how in the modern Russian economy domestic and export prices for basic resources—oil, gas, oil products, metals, timber, chemicals, and grain—should be related. The correlation between the level of domestic prices for raw materials and industrialization processes is shown. The need for a coherent industrial policy aimed at a more rapid development of the processing and manufacturing industries is underlined. The conclusion is that the various measures of indirect regulation of domestic prices for basic resources are a natural constituent of a reasonable economic development strategy for Russia. Some possible actions to curb the growth in domestic prices for raw materials and primary products are considered.     

State-of-the-art of Russia’s heat supply systems

The paper overviews the contemporary state of Russia’s heat supply systems and fuel consumption within its centralized part, the structure of heat consumption by economic sectors and types of industrial consumers. As shown, the centralized heat supply systems, providing the major part of country’s economy with low temperature heat, have heat losses and accident rate at a critical level. The state of decentralized heat supply systems of low rise buildings is not covered by national statistics at all. A second paper on the prospects and development of Russia’s heat supply systems will be published in a subsequent issue.     

Some problems of Russia’s railway infrastructure

This paper provides a brief analysis of the state and development prospects of the railway infrastructure. Particular attention is paid to the study of the system capacity, bottlenecks in railway systems, their causes, and failure resilience. We analyze the main provisions of the “Development Strategy of Rail Transport in the Russian Federation until 2030.” The author presents his views concerning the possibilities to satisfy the demand for rail freight.     

Economy of Russia’s Northern regions: Investment in fixed assets

This article discusses the features of the dynamics of investment in fixed assets in northern regions and the main factors of its rapid growth before the crisis and sharp decline in the crisis period. The contribution of individual regions to the growth rate of investment in the entire economy of the North is determined, and the territorial structure of investment by sectors and types of economic activity and the main sources of financing and changes in the structure of investment are investigated. An evaluation of the tendency towards investment and the investment attractiveness of northern regions are given.     

On the Development of Russia’s Information and Communication Technologies Ecosystem

A quantitative model of Russia’s information and communication technologies (ICT) ecosystem has been proposed that describes the main relationships between its participants, as well as the impact of environmental factors on the functioning of the ICT ecosystem. Based on the model, we have assessed the long-term (until 2030) potential for the development of Russia’s ICT sector in the case of the state’s active and stimulating strategy and the formation of an advanced system of institutions. We have also evaluated the contribution of the ICT sector to the macroeconomic dynamics while implementing the target scenario.     

Energy consumption by Russia’s population and service industry in the context of global trends

This paper analyzes energy consumption by population and service industry in developed countries and Russia in 1990–2005. The main global trends in energy consumption by population and service industry are shown. The compliance of Russia’s energy consumption figures to these trends is determined. The results of predictive estimates of the dependence of per capita energy consumption by population and service industry on the level of economic development are presented.     

Absorption capacity of Russia’s forests and carbon dioxide emissions of fuel and energy systems

Carbon dioxide emissions from fuel combustion in the fuel and energy systems (FES) and production industries are estimated on the basis of an analysis of the long-term forecast of the development of the former. The carbon sequestration by forest and nonforest biomes is calculated. Based on the global balance of carbon fluxes, a long-term national carbon balance is drawn up. As follows from this balance, the carbon sequestration during the 21st century is even larger than emissions in FES development scenarios, which do not include any special restrictions on CO₂ emissions. Thus, a considerable portion of foreign emissions is absorbed. This fact should be taken into account when developing national strategies for socioeconomic development.     

Russia’s financial policy in the perspective period

The article considers the financial and monetary support of the economic dynamics that is required to realize the economic growth potential, the parameters of which were grounded in the forecast of Russia??s economic development until 2030 developed by the Institute of Economic Forecasting, Russian Academy of Sciences.     

Foreign investments in Russia’s electric power industry

Foreign investments in Russia??s electric power industry and their role in the institutional and regulatory reorganization of its reformation are analyzed in the article. A comparison of the revenue efficiency of electric power generation companies on the Russian and European markets is made.     

Russia’s energy systems: Opportunities and prospects

The paper considers macroeconomic forecasts of the performance of Russia’s Fuel and Energy Complex (FEC) up to 2030–2040 based on projections of economic development (worked out at the Institute of Economic Forecasting, Russian Academy of Sciences), predictive assessments of the economic aspects of the production of major fuel types, Russia’s involvement in meeting the world’s demand for oil and gas, and the progress in the development of new energy sources. It is demonstrated that, according to the expected demand for energy carriers and the proposed changes in the FEC structure and technological base, carbon dioxide emissions by FEC facilities in the considered term will not exceed the 1990 level recorded in the Kyoto Protocol. It is shown that the annual volume of investment in the energy industry by 2030 should be at least double the level of the 2000–2010 requirements and by 2040 it is expected to increase by another 15–20%.     

Modeling Russia’s exchange rate in the long-run

This paper investigates long-run behavior of Russian real effective exchange rate. Due to high dependence on natural resources’ exports and, at the same time, absence of stable domestic policy, unexpected and/or excessive changes in the real exchange rate might negatively affect the Russian economy, causing large welfare costs. Since the determinants as well the causal links to different fundamental determinants are not straightforward, we employ the Johansen cointegration framework in order to determine factors that drive real exchanges rate in the long run. Compared to previous research on the Russian exchange rate, we expand the period of observations and construct potential determinants in a not traditional way, but as differences between domestic and foreign variables. This proceeding might also be relevant for researches, dedicated to another countries’ exchange rates.     

Health protection problems in Russia’s working population

This paper considers a forecast of Russia’s population size and mortality and disability levels among working-age people. The dynamics of working conditions and the health status of the working population in the Russian Federation is estimated for the past 20 years on the basis of the indices of occupational injuries, professionally and industrially caused morbidity, as well as temporary work incapacity.