Igor Makarov Speaks at the BRICS International School in Nizhny Novgorod
Igor Makarov gave his lecture, Sustainable Development after 2030: Towards a New Agenda, as part of the BRICS International School held in Nizhny Novgorod. In his presentation, he addressed the challenges surrounding the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are increasingly viewed as difficult to achieve within the established timeframe.
According to Igor Makarov, progress across many areas has fallen significantly short of expectations, while in some cases there has even been a reversal. He stressed that the reasons for this cannot be attributed solely to the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical instability or recent economic crises, but rather reflect deeper structural constraints embedded in the current model of global development.
The lecture focused on three interrelated challenges: growing social and international inequality, environmental degradation, and rapid digital transformation, the pace of which is outstripping the ability of institutions and regulatory systems to adapt. As Igor Makarov noted, addressing these challenges requires a fundamental rethinking of existing approaches to sustainable development.
Special attention was given to the need for new benchmarks grounded not only in updated goals, but also in effective mechanisms for their implementation — ranging from the reform of international financial institutions to the development of new models of economic growth. Makarov emphasised that this is particularly important for countries of the Global South.
In this context, he highlighted the increasing role of BRICS. The member states already account for a substantial share of the global economy and have the potential to become an important platform for developing alternative solutions in areas such as energy, digital infrastructure and social policy.