ABSTRACT

Introduction The position of the Russian Federation in the international climate regime has become vital for its future. Russia is among the five countries that produce more than half the world's fossil carbon as well as among five countries that account for about half of all fossil carbon consumption. Its territory accounts for 21% of the world's forests1 and hosts nearly 8 million sq km of "wildlife" areas - places virtually untouched by any economic activity.2 Many Russian scholars and politicians allege that the tremendous capacity of Russia's environment to absorb carbon emissions makes the country an "environmental donor" to the world. As one of the major producers of fossil fuel emissions and the largest international "sink", the country plays an important role in the global climate system. By sheer virtue of the size of its territory, character of its ecosystem, and size of economy, Russia can strongly influence the structure and effectiveness of any international agreement related to climate change.