The Futures of Sino-Russian Cooperation: Implications for Climate (Ir)Responsibility in the Arctic

The Sino–Russian relationship is among the key variables of power dynamics in global climate governance and the changing tides of Russia’s war in Ukraine. In this chapter, we focus on how this relationship will shape the implementation of global climate responsibility in the coming years. Taking a future-oriented approach to politics, we examine plausible alternative developments for Sino–Russian cooperation in the Arctic and beyond, to shed light on how the changing shape of the Sino–Russian partnership might impact the implementation of climate responsibility or its opposite: climate irresponsibility. In light of the urgent need to tackle climate change and the severity of the consequences, there is only a thin line between climate responsibility and irresponsibility: a neutral area between the two no longer exists.