RUSSIAN CLIMATE POLITICS: LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL?

The document examines Russia's progress in meeting Kyoto Protocol compliance requirements and the delays in establishing a domestic Joint Implementation (JI) approval system. It highlights a general lack of political priority for climate change within Russia, where the regime is often viewed as a tool for wealth redistribution. While institutional compliance is nearing completion, inter-ministerial conflict and uncertainties over property rights hinder the launch of JI projects. The paper also notes that domestic debate on post-2012 climate positions has not yet begun, despite Russia's role as the world's third-largest emitter.

• Russia's approach to international climate politics is driven by direct benefits, as seen during the Kyoto Protocol ratification where the government sought guaranteed benefits and support for accession to the World Trade Organisation.
• Climate change is not a high priority on Russia's national political agenda, partly because some leading scientists and officials are climate sceptics who argue there is no serious threat to the climate.
• Russia has significant surplus emission allowances, often called 'Hot air', because its greenhouse gas emissions in 2004 were approximately 33% below its Kyoto commitment due to economic contraction and restructuring.
• Russia is close to achieving full institutional compliance with the Kyoto Protocol, having submitted its GHG inventory for 1990-2004 in 2007 and expecting to launch a GHG registry in the first half of 2007.
• The implementation of Joint Implementation (JI) projects is delayed by inter-ministerial infighting and the lack of a domestic approval system, despite 23 projects having been contracted and submitted to the JISC.
• A domestic emissions trading system is considered unlikely during the first commitment period due to complexities with ownership rights and market structures; similarly, a Green Investment Scheme (GIS) is not currently a priority for the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade.
• While Russia is the world's third largest emitter of greenhouse gases, domestic debate on its post-2012 position has not yet started, although Roshydromet initiated talks on voluntary targets in 2006.

APA

Korppoo, A., & Moe, A. (2007). RUSSIAN CLIMATE POLITICS: LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL? Climate Strategies. https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/russia-politics-bp.pdf

Chicago

Korppoo, Anna, and Arild Moe. RUSSIAN CLIMATE POLITICS: LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL? Climate Strategies, 2007. https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/russia-politics-bp.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Korppoo |first1=Anna |last2=Moe |first2=Arild |title=RUSSIAN CLIMATE POLITICS: LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL? |publisher=Climate Strategies |date=April 2007 |url=https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/russia-politics-bp.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{korppoo2007russian, author = {Korppoo, Anna and Moe, Arild}, title = {{RUSSIAN CLIMATE POLITICS: LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL?}}, institution = {Climate Strategies}, year = {2007}, month = apr, url = {https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/russia-politics-bp.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }