Putin and the planet

Russia is the world’s fourth-largest emitter of greenhouse
gasses. Any talk of changing that needs to focus on President
Vladimir Putin. Under his leadership, Russia has become a fossil
fuel powerhouse. Since he took office in 2000, Russian oil
production has risen by 70%. Today, the state is dependent on its
revenues. Four in every ten dollars Moscow spends comes from
fossil fuels. So the idea that Russia needs to shift away from
fossil fuels to prevent the worst effects of climate change
strikes at the very heart of Mr Putin’s power.


But Russia is already suffering more than most from the effects
of climate change. Arctic temperatures are rising faster than the
global average, forests the size of countries are going up in
smoke. Two thirds of the country’s permafrost - permanently
frozen ground - has roads, homes, schools, oil and pipelines and
even nuclear reactors are built on it. And the permafrost is
starting to melt. Putin’s latest national security document for
the first time mentions climate change as a risk. But can he do
what is necessary to prevent things from getting worse?


Contributors - Angelina Davydova - Environmental Journalist Chris
Miller - Director of the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s
Eurasia Program Vladimir Chuprov - Director of the Energy
Program, Greenpeace Russia Presenters: Neal Razzell and Kate
Lamble Reporter - Olga Dobrovidova Producer: Jordan Dunbar