The potential for ecological modernisation in Russia: scenarios from the forest industry

The varying ways in which environmental politics takes place in Russia are analysed by discussing the potentiality of the processes of ecological modernisation. The focus is on the forest industry sector of the Russian economy, which has, like Russia in general, undergone considerable transformations. First, the premises of ecological modernisation theory are discussed, and four potential scenarios for ecological modernisation in Russia are discussed. The recent transformation of environmental politics and the forest industry sector of the economy are then explored. Six empirical case studies from the European part of the Russian Federation are introduced and their analysis pays attention to factors that have proven to be significant in bringing about environmental improvements: state regulation, implementation of technological solutions, pressure from the environmental movement, and enterprise ownership. Based on this framework, the different directions generating incentives, motivations and driving forces for environmental improvements in Russia are analysed, as well as the contradictions arising from these processes