Vol 30, No 3 (2019)

In continuation of the topic of choosing an effective strategy on coping with climate change and its impact (see [1]), this paper considers the strategy above within the framework of the conditions, imperatives, and prospects of the socio-economic development of modern Russia. It is substantiated that this strategy should imply the implementation of interrelated sets of institutional, economic, and technological measures that prioritize (1) boost of economic growth through improving production efficiency using the best available resource management technologies; (2) reduction of the hazardous impact of economic activity on the environment and the communities (primarily, cutting emissions of toxic and hazardous pollutants, including those containing carbon, into the air); (3) communities’ and ecosystems’ adaptation and protection against such an impact and its consequences, including climate change; (4) alleviation of accumulated effects and reduction of current and future technological impact on climate forcing environmental factors.

The article considers issues related to prices, taxes, and export duties for oil and oil products in Russia and foreign countries. The act adopted in August 2018 related to the gradual (within 6 years) cancellation of export duty on oil with the corresponding increase in severance tax (ST) is analyzed. This will lead to the growth of domestic prices for oil and oil products, as well as rise in inflation, and will have an adverse impact on economic growth rates (This will result simultaneously in the rise in prices for oil-importing EAEU countries. The rates of oil and diesel fuel price growth in Russia significantly exceed the inflation rate in 2018). The comparative analysis of the structure of prices for gasoline in Russia and the United States, as well as prices for oil and diesel fuel in countries throughout the world in 2018, are given.

A brief analysis of the draft document “Russia 2030: Science and Technology Foresight” (of December 19, 2017) is presented. The authors, who are leading researchers at the Institute of Economics and Industrial Engineering, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, reveal discrepancies between a series of provisions in the document and the current level of Russia’s economic development, primarily in science and technology. The document provides virtually no economic rationale or analysis of what causes the loss of science and technology potential in Russia. The attempt to foresee the technological development of individual Russian regions is unsuccessful. The general conclusion is that the foresight document does not provide a single platform for the development and implementation of strategic planning documents in the field of science and technology.

The article describes the influence of the agglomerative factor on the development of certain territories, and methodology for the calculation of such effects based on Russian data is offered. The agglomeration effects were quantitatively assessed by applying the above-mentioned methodology.

The article describes a relatively new theory not previously discussed in Russian scientific literature, the subjective equilibrium theory of the farm household, and applies it to analyse the behaviour of Russian part-time farm households. The purpose of the study is to reveal key factors of these farmers’ behaviour in order to make a forecast for the future. The analysis is carried out using the example of the Republic of Bashkortostan.

The current state of small business patterns in agriculture and the experience of their progressive development in the Republic of Bashkortostan and other regions of Russia are described. Government support for small agribusiness is also considered.

The article discusses the relationship between the dynamics and structure of retail turnover and the population’s level of money income. It analyzes features in individual income groups in the territorial context, the impact of rising prices on food and nonfood products, the structure of consumer expenditures, and the quality problems of consumer goods.

This paper proposes a new method for estimating the effect of education on an employee’s wage: with the help of the generalized Heckman model with switching. Application of this method makes it possible to avoid the selection bias due to the endogenous accounting for nonrandom consideration of individuals both as employed and having higher education. This model makes it possible to estimate whether it is worthwhile for an individual to get a higher education in terms of changes in their expected income. Analysis of the distribution of the effect of the education level on wages among employees makes it possible to evaluate the efficiency of the higher education system in providing the population with skills and competencies that are significant in the labor market.

The article analyzes the content of economic sanctions of Western countries against Russia (from 2014 to August 2018). It shows the evolution of the motivation and perception of sanctions by the main countries involved. Negative consequences for the countries not participating in the sanctions confrontation as well as for the world economy as a whole are considered. An increasing contradiction between the goal setting of the US and EU sanctions is shown.