The Green Economy in the G-20, Post-Mexico: Implications for Russia

This research paper examines the transition of Russia toward a 'green economy,' analyzing the gap between official policy documents and practical implementation. It highlights Russia's immense natural capital and the critical need to reduce its economic dependence on hydrocarbon exports and improve energy efficiency to ensure long-term sustainable development.

• Russia possesses significant global natural capital, including 20% of the world's forests (1.18 billion hectares) and the world's largest land resources at over 1.7 billion hectares. It is a global leader in cumulative energy resources, holding up to 22% of world reserves for all 17 rare earth metals.
• The Russian economy remains heavily dependent on hydrocarbon exports, which is described as an unsustainable resource-exporting model. In the 2014 budget, the percentage of hydrocarbon revenues was likely to reach 52.5%, an increase of 4.4%.
• Russia suffers from high energy intensity, with efficiency potential estimated at 40–45%. This includes specific gaps in industrial production and transport (up to 40%), electricity generation (15–30%), and the residential sector (18–19%).
• While Russia has established numerous policy frameworks—such as the 'Energy Strategy of Russia to 2030' and the 'Concept of the Long-Term Socio-Economic Development of the Russian Federation until 2020'—practical achievements in the green economy remain limited and lag behind theory.
• To foster a green economy, the author suggests shifting the tax burden from labour and capital to natural resources and eliminating fuel subsidies. In 2010, oil and gas sector subsidies were estimated by the World Wildlife Fund at $14.4 billion.
• Russia has significant untapped potential in renewable energy, particularly wind energy and small hydroelectric stations, but these are underutilized. A specific innovation mentioned is the wind-diesel hybrid power system, suitable for sparsely populated areas.

APA

Panova, V. V. (2014). The Green Economy in the G-20, Post-Mexico: Implications for Russia. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Occasional-Paper-192.pdf

Chicago

Panova, Victoria V. The Green Economy in the G-20, Post-Mexico: Implications for Russia. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2014. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Occasional-Paper-192.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Panova |first1=Victoria V |title=The Green Economy in the G-20, Post-Mexico: Implications for Russia |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=June 2014 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Occasional-Paper-192.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{panova2014green, author = {Panova, Victoria V}, title = {{The Green Economy in the G-20, Post-Mexico: Implications for Russia}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2014}, month = jun, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Occasional-Paper-192.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }