Great Power Ambitions and National Interest in Russia’s Climate Change Policy

Abstract

This chapter explores whether Russia can be considered as a great power in international environmental politics, focusing on action to address climate change. It analyses the evolution in Russia’s position and behaviour in the international climate change negotiations and its stance towards leadership in this area over time and discusses the factors that have contributed to these changes. It concludes with discussion of the role of great power framing in Russia’s stance in the domestic and international debate on climate change. The chapter finds that, possessing key structural characteristics of positive and negative environmental power, Russia has actively drawn on great power framing in the formulation of its climate change strategy. While there is a clear ambition to act as a great power, overall Russia’s efforts on climate change are not framed in the context of joint global action and common responsibility, but rather emphasize its national interests. Political perceptions of its own interests in turn have changed over time, influenced by a combination of a domestic economy highly dependent on fossil fuel extraction and export, prominence of climate sceptics and anti-climate economic lobbyists, as well as overall internal and international political dynamics.