Learning with Economists in Petro-Rich Economies: Climate Change Policies in Russia

Abstract

We study how to communicate climate policy in fossil-fuel-dependent economies. For international comparability,we build on the survey of Dechezleprêtre et al. (2025) inRussia, adapting it to the local context and adding novel elements: (i) treatments referencing the national Climate Doctrine (presidential decree) and (ii) measures of trust in scientists from different fields. Russians’ climate beliefs and knowledge broadly mirror those in other countries, though skepticism is higher in fossil-fuel-rich regions. Physics-based videos raise factual understanding, while economically framed messages reduce policy support, consistent with cost salience and low trust in economists. Political authority cues, by contrast, raise support.