Climate policy in an era of disruption: the impact of COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine on the United States, Russia, Canada and the European Union

2025/09/03 by Kathryn Harrison, Lisa McIntosh Sundstrom · 1 voice
Environmental Science · Social Sciences · Economics, Econometrics and Finance · #Environmental and Biological Research in Conflict Zones #International Science and Diplomacy #Economic Issues in Ukraine

paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/09644016.2025.2554446

openalex publication_date 2025/09/03 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/14

Abstract

This introduction to the special symposium on Climate Policy in an Era of Disruption, we employ the tripartite interests, ideas and institutions framework to compare the climate policy responses of Canada, the European Union, Russia, and the United States to the dual crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Contrary to received wisdom about the impact of external shocks on environmental policy, three of four jurisdictions strengthened their climate policies in the wake of these crises, reflecting impacts of stronger pro-climate pressures (EU), partisan climate commitments (Canada, US), and favorable institutional contexts. However, Russia’s growing reliance on oil and gas post-Ukraine invasion and US climate reversals present a looming third crisis for global climate policy solutions.

Citations

• The Study of Critical Junctures: Theory, Narrative, and Counterfactuals in Historical Institutionalism
• The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act: Climate policy as economic crisis response
• Russia’s climate policy in an era of pandemic and war: weathering disruption
• Climate policymaking in crisis: the impact of declining oil prices, COVID-19, and the Ukraine war in Canada

Discussions

• Symposium: Climate Policy in an Era of Disruption Climate policy in an era of disruption: the impact of COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine on the United States, Russia, Canada and the European Union by [bsky, 1 points, 1 comments]

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