Modern science is global, and we expect the standards of scientific research to be same around the world. Yet, twenty environmental scientists from different nations have dissimilar views. Dronin and Bychkova studied what these Russian and American scientists see as key environmental issues. After a series of interviews with prominent researchers, they found that the…
Author: AlinaBychkova
Department of Politics and International Relations, Nottingham Trent University
Detecting a methane rush over the Arctic seas
The Arctic is warming twice as fast compared to the rest of the World. The Arctic ocean contains gigatons of organic carbon and methane hydrates. Warming may induce liberation of this methane into the atmosphere. This greenhouse gas would start a positive feed-back: the warmer water – the faster methane emission, the higher concentration the…
More than meets the Northern eyes – climate change perceptions in Northern Russia
Dr. Anisimov and Orttung gave an insight into the public perceptions of climate change in Northern Russia. While Northern Russia demonstrates high rates of climate change, regional adaptation policies are yet to be established, and public views on the issue are poorly known. Russia is important in international climate discussions as the country occupies a…
Bring me sunshine – solar energy pioneering clean energy transition in Russia
Boute and Zhikharev analysed clean energy transition in Russia. They argue that the recent development of the solar energy industry in the country dependent on traditional energy sources is caused by the vested interests of the producers. They looked at the competition between renewable energy sources under the Russian subsidyscheme and found that the manufacturing…
Are Russians eco-conscious?
Kurbanov and Prokhoda recently studied the level of climate change awareness among Russians. They analysed the relationship between ecological knowledge and attitudes towards environment with an ‘ecological behaviour model’. The model considers ecological knowledge as a basis for environmental friendly behaviour and active engagement in public action towards climate change. They explore the links between the awareness…
Is there an Arctic ‘resource curse’? Evidence from the Russian Arctic regions.
Although the development of the Arctic’s natural resources sounds very promising for Russian economics, the expansion of mining brings future risks for the regional well-being, affecting social, physical and economic spheres. Gritsenko and Efimova discuss how the Arctic economics might struggle from being rich in resources. They refer to the idea of ‘resource curse’, a paradox that features…
Fair weather friends across Russian climate zones
Zolotrylin et al assessed the impact of climate change on Russians’ well-being in the face of increasing climate extremes. They measured the average daily temperatures, the characteristics of heat and cold waves, and precipitation over the period 1991–2013 across the country. The results show the significant increase of extreme weather events in Russia in comparison…
It is all about the benefits: the Russian state discusses Arctic energy development.
The Arctic has been providing Russia with large amounts of oil and natural gas over the last century. The environmentally sensitive region will face many natural and social impacts if the hydrocarbon industry continues to work in this way, however, the state’s leadership would not like the business to stop. The recent study of Sidortsov…
Warming up and powering down – vulnerability of the Russian power industry to the climate change
Researchers from the Moscow Power Engineering Institute have assessed the climate-related impacts on the Russian power industry up to 2050. They argue that current climate change deteriorates the efficiency of the power industries on the entire territory of Russia. They used a physical simulation approach to replicate a response of the steam and gas turbines performance to the…
Shiny happy rivers in Altai? Hydroenvironmental tension and recreational attractiveness
Chernova and other researchers from the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science and Gorno-Altaisk State University are studying the hydroclimatic conditions of the protected areas in Russian Altai. The Russian part of Altai is a region with unique landscapes which attracts tourists from all over the world. The regional natural heritage has a high…
Russian Climate Research 