Beyond Kyoto: Science, Policy-Making and the Future Direction of Russia’s Climate Change Policies
This project aims to map the influence of the ACIA and IPCC reports and processes on the development and implementation of Russian climate change policies.Participants
Although Russia ratified the Kyoto Protocol in November 2004, this decision was based primarily on the consideration of economic benefits that could flow from ratification and carbon trading. Russia today has entered an economic recovery and, with increased industrial output, may not be in the same position to benefit economically from emissions trading in the future. This raises the question of the role Russia will play in international climate change negotiations leading up to 2012, when the Kyoto Protocol will expire.
Collectively produced scientific assessments, such as the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA) or Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Assessment Reports, are often used to find common ground in negotiations at the international level. However, such assessments do not drive domestic politics in ‘transitional’ states in Central and Eastern Europe in the same ways observed in Western Europe, as these states often lack mechanisms, institutions or individuals that can link international knowledge to domestic policy making. This project aims to map the influence of the ACIA and IPCC reports and processes on the development and implementation of Russian climate change policies (both international positions and domestic policies/mitigation plans).
Funding