Rational and irrational behaviour in Russian climate policy
DIW Weekly Report 23 / 2011
pp. 3-8 23 / 2011
Russia makes little and belated use of international climate protection instruments, although the Russian economy could benefit from them. Russia is also dismissive of an extension of the Kyoto Protocol. This seemingly irrational behaviour has understandable reasons, considering the Russian economy’s unchanged energy dependence. The EU’s climate protection strategies reduce future sales opportunities for Russian oil and gas exports. From the perspective of Russian energy suppliers, the economic expansion of the Russian domestic market for natural gas seems to be an economically sensible alternative, at least in the medium term. In the long term, such a strategy will also promote the development of the great energy efficiency potential of the Russian economy and thus the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. From Russia’s perspective, such an approach is rational