Der niedrige Ölpreis und die Sanktionen setzen Russlands Wirtschaft zu. Verschärfen dürfte sich die Lage des Ölexporteurs durch den weltweiten Boom der Ökoenergien, zeigen neue Studien. Dabei wächst durchaus das Bewusstsein, dass fürs Klima etwas getan werden muss. Doch Unternehmen rebellieren.

In December 2015, nearly 200 countries reached a historic agreement in Paris to limit greenhouse gas emissions in hopes of curbing global warming. Law360's Expert Analysis special series looks at the impact the agreement will have on policies in various regions and countries. Dr. George Safonov from Higher School of Economics (Russia) provides his view of Russia's climate policy.

Интервью с Георгием Сафоновым корреспонденту NPR о влиянии климатических изменений на экономику России

Russia's position at the UNFCCC COP21, leading to adoption of the Paris Climate Agreement, commented by experts from HSE and other think tanks.

On December 18, 2015, the conference dedicated to the outcomes of negotiations and prospects for Russia in connection with the new Paris Climate Agreement took place in Moscow with participation of HSE, WWF-Russia, Russian Social and Ecological Union (RSEU), Russian-German Bureau of Ecological Information.

According to experts, climate change is occurring in Russia much faster than globally on average. This might potentially have a significant impact on the country’s energy sector. What is the Kremlin doing to address the issue? Find out in the new RD report.

Russia is preparing the ground for future regulation of carbon emissions, amid calls to wean the economy off its heavy dependence on polluting fossil fuels.

The report on Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project, with participation of Russian research team from HSE and RANEPA, provided sound scientific arguments for the ambitious goals of leading countries in the Paris Climate Agreement, netogiated at the UNFCCC COP21 in Paris.

On October 12, 2015 the officials and experts from Kazakhstan and the EU discussed Kazakhstan’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) for the Paris Climate Change Conference and developed recommendations for the country on reaching its goals

Russia's forests may lose their power to help curb global warming without stronger domestic protection and a place in a new global climate change deal, scientists have warned. George Safonov (HSE) and Alexey Kokorin (WWF Russia) provided their views to Reuters.

On December 10, the SDSN along with partners World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD), International Energy Agency (IEA) and French Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI), organized a side-event on its Low-Carbon Technology Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) initiative. George Safonov from HSE made one of the key presentations at this event.

Organized by the Russian Federation and Center for Environmental Innovation, the event titled 'Goals and Objectives of the Russian Climate Policy up to 2020 and Prospects for 2030' described the country's goals to: achieve low-carbon sustainable development; implement environmental management systems and ecologically effective technologies; and develop the recycling industry. The event convened on the sidelines of the Lima UNFCCC Climate Change Conference (COP20).

The Russian largest cities Moscow and St.Peteresburg launched the initiatives on adaptation to climate change. Dr. Safonov from HSE and other experts agree it is time to act now. 

Russia's perspectives on the climate change negotiations under UNFCCC at the climate summit in Warsaw. With the economic analysis from George Safonov (HSE)

Climate change represents a “tragedy of the commons” on a global scale, requiring the cooperation of nations that do not necessarily put the Earth’s well-being above their own national interests. And yet international efforts to address global warming have met with some success; the Kyoto Protocol, in which industrialized countries committed to reducing their collective emissions, took effect in 2005 (although without the participation of the United States). Reversing the lens used by previous scholarship on the topic,  Global Commons, Domestic Decisions  explains international action on climate change from the perspective of countries’ domestic politics. In an effort to understand both what progress has been made and why it has been so limited, experts in comparative politics look at the experience of seven jurisdictions in deciding whether or not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and to pursue national climate change mitigation policies. By analyzing the domestic politics and international positions of the United States, Australia, Russia, China, the European Union, Japan, and Canada, the authors demonstrate clearly that decisions about global policies are often made locally, in the context of electoral and political incentives, the normative commitments of policymakers, and domestic political institutions. Using a common analytical framework throughout, the book offers a unique comparison of the domestic political forces within each nation that affect climate change policy and provides insights into why some countries have been able to adopt innovative and aggressive positions on climate change both domestically and internationally.

Adrian Murillo Ramirez-Moreno is from Mexico City and is currently a third-year student at Universidad Anáhuac México where he studies International Relations. Nicholas Viggiano, from New Jersey, USA, is a third-year student at the University of Maryland, where he is pursuing a double degree in Russian and Environmental Science. Both are studying in HSE’s ‘Semester in Moscow’ Programme. The programme not only allows students to study Russian language at any level, but to design their own curriculum—students have their pick of any English-taught courses they choose, regardless of field. Students are accommodated in the HSE dormitories and receive an official transcript upon completion of the semester.

Fighting climate change requires close international cooperation, but global politics and short-term economic interests still hinder the execution of a joint plan of action. How can this be overcome? Participants of HSE’s international conference ‘The New Economics of Climate: Prospects for Russia’ tried to answer this question.

is the average temperature increase every ten years since 1976 in Russia’s environmentally vulnerable regions.

is the year that glaciers may disappear from the earth if the average air temperature in the high mountain ranges rises by 8 degrees Celsius and precipitation levels fall by 16%.