Russia’s Environmental and Climate Agenda since the Beginning of the Full-Scale War in Ukraine

• In Event: Circuits of Extractivism and Consumption in Eastern Europe

Abstract

The full-scale war in Ukraine brought along direct environmental damage to the country’s ecosystems, chemical pollution, forest fires, biodiversity loss. But it also impacted global climate, energy and food security agenda and influenced Russia’s internal environmental and climate action. Now internationally Russia is trying to instrumentalize the topic of climate change, building a coalition of the non-western alliance of states cooperating on ‘green’ issues and promoting nuclear energy and nature-based solutions. On the domestic level, climate action is most noticeable in climate adaptation efforts, while fossil fuels remain to play the larger role in energy balance in most scenarios until 2050. Real civil society actors hardly play any role in setting, realizing, or controlling climate measures in the country at the moment. However, some environmental activists, both inside the country and in exile, are trying to continue their campaigns and protests among increasing political pressure and prosecution.

Author

• Angelina Davydova, Inst for Global Reconstitution