Features and Driving Forces of Russia's Smart Climate Policies

Global warming has proposed some opportunities for Russian; on the other hand, it has had threats for this country. Therefore, Russia has neither intended to constantly deny the impact of climate change on the environment and the role mankind has played in it, nor has it taken a stance at the forefront of the global fight against climate change. The main purpose of this paper is to identify the dimensions and main features of Russia's smart climate policies and to discover the reasons why Russian Federation has adopted such an approach. Therefore, the author tries to find an answer for the following question: "What are the main features and main driving forces of Russia's Smart Climate Policies?" This study, developed within the framework of the conceptual smart climate policies, has utilized a descriptive-analytical methodology and library resources to collect and analyze the appropriate date to resolve the issue at hand. Findings of this study has revealed that the main feature of Russia's smart climate policies has been exerting efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and, at the same time, getting along with the climate change phenomenon to reap its benefits. Improving energy efficiency, preparing the ground for utilizing renewable energy resources, protecting the country's assets in the Arctic, reducing the number and sequence of natural disasters and maintaining seasonal balance, are among the main motivations laying the foundation for Russia’s greenhouse gases reduction efforts. Russia's main policy stimulus in coping with climate change, traces back to the role of global warming in facilitating access to natural resources in the Arctic, launching new shipping lanes in this region, reducing heating costs for the population living in the cold regions of northern Russia and expanding arable lands in these areas.