ABSTRACT
Russia plays an important role in the global climate regime due to its sizable GHG emissions (fifth largest in the world) and its centrality to global energy security. Therefore, it can be argued that a viable global climate policy cannot be achieved without Russia’s involvement and commitment which makes it very important to understand various factors that contribute to and shape Russia’s official climate change discourse. Considering the interlinked relations between the Russian state and its traditional media, this chapter opens the door to the evolution of the climate change narrative by analysing 668 articles published in one of Russia’s leading newspapers, Izvestiia, from 1992 until 2012. It is argued that during this 20-year period, in which Russia went through major political, economic and social modifications, the media served as a litmus test for understanding how these changes impacted climate change narratives in the country. Whilst the number of articles covering climate change have increased over the years, the content of publications has become more polarised, with scepticism and a lack of state criticism becoming more apparent.
