Gennadiy Shukin, a reindeer herder, describes the rapid changes in the Arctic landscape due to climate change, including thawing permafrost and drowning reindeer calves. Russia's far north experiences stark climate impacts, with some communities abandoning homes due to ground instability. Despite witnessing dramatic climate shifts, Russia remains a major greenhouse gas emitter, and its climate actions are criticized as insufficient. Experts highlight that economic interests in fossil fuels contribute to the country's lack of significant climate policy commitment.
Gennadiy Shukin, a reindeer herder in the Russian Arctic, reports that river crossings that used to stay frozen until spring now crack underfoot, signaling profound climate change.
Shukin notes, 'We’re the canary in the coalmine. We are the first to witness climate change in such a dramatic way.' This highlights the urgency felt by those on the front lines.
As Russia's Arctic warms 2.5 times faster than the global average, experts stress that the impacts of the climate crisis are not distant but increasingly visible across the nation.
Angelina Davydova states, 'Russia keeps saying that the climate is important, that international cooperation on climate change is important. But then Russia is not doing anything to combat it.'
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