“Sustainability” in Russia's Development Agenda

Abstract

Over the past few decades, the problems of climate change and the need to find a new paradigm for further industrial development have become the forefront of the global agenda of sustainable and balanced development. However, while the concepts of “sustainable development,” “energy-efficient” economy, and “green” economic growth for the majority of leading global countries have already surpassed the stage of debates and became the real transformational force, Russia is still treating the energy shift as a dim prospect. Some changes started to happen only in 2021, when the major importers of Russian goods adopted initiatives, threatening the competitiveness of Russian export. Within this chapter, the authors set the goal to investigate the history of Russia's commitment to the global climate-related initiatives and showcase whether the national legislative system is supporting these efforts. The authors also highlight the major drivers for energy shift in the Russian economy and rethink national model of energy transition mechanisms for the near future, considering its foreign trade risks.