Video: ZOiS Forum

Climate in Russia: Change, Discourse, Protest

21/01/2021

An ice-free Arctic, melting permafrost … climate change is already having major environmental impacts in Russia, as the recurrent wildfires in Siberia show. But in Russia itself, assessments of these changes vary widely. While the international climate movement is now attracting support among young Russians, some Russian politicians and academics emphasise the positive aspects of global warming for their country, including easier access to natural resources and the development of trans-Arctic shipping. In conversation with Angelina Davydova and Arshak Makichyan (Fridays for Future Russia), we trace the evolution of the Russian debate and discuss youth engagement in the discourse and protests around climate change.  

Participants

  • Arshak Makichyan studied music in Moscow, majoring in violin, and is currently one of the leading activists for Fridays for Future in Russia.

  • Angelina Davydova is Director of the Office of Environmental Information, an NGO working on developing and strengthening cooperation between Russia and the EU in the areas of environment and climate.

  • Benjamin Beuerle received a PhD in Russian history from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Since 2017, he is a researcher at Deutsches Historisches Institut Moskau. In his current research, he examines climate policies in the late Soviet Union and post-Soviet Russia.

  • Chair: Félix Krawatzek is a Senior Researcher at ZOiS.