International cooperation on climate research and green technologies in the face of sanctions: The case of Russia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop the theoretical model for the regime of anti-Russian sanctions against the climate R&D sector, as well as the related green finance sector. Achieving this purpose was carried out on the basis of using the system of the following methods. 1) A method of discursive analysis was applied to texts and statements that occur in scientific articles, analytical reviews and notes in electronic media and discussion pages on the Internet. 2) Meta-analysis was applied to both original works and to primary materials of an empirical nature containing statistical data, which are sometimes of a variable nature. 3) The methodology of stochastic factor analysis served as the basis for considering sanctions as factors that probabilistically determine various changes in Russian science and technology policies and science legislation. 4) The use of the foresight method was aimed at identifying options for the medium- and long-term development of Russia's participation in international cooperation in the field of climate R&D while under sanctions. According to the developed model, the regime of scientific sanctions against Russia is aimed at breaking cooperation with Russian participation at the level of programs and projects. The institutionalization of scientific ruptures has several aspects, such as the freezing of personal contacts, the suspension of funding, as well as the supply of equipment and the provision of services for its maintenance. The peculiarity of scientific sanctions against Russia lies in the unprecedented combination of the national and global scales of their consequences. The study concludes that, due to Russia's significant contribution to climate change, the consequences of scientific, economic and financial sanctions have a negative cumulative effect on the implementation of the global climate agenda. This means the emergence of problems in reducing greenhouse gas emissions due to the partial abandonment of previously formulated climate goals. The model proposed in this study reveals Russia's response to sanction challenges, which means that Russia continues to follow the trend in the development of climate science and improve the institution of green finance.