[ivan_gammel]

Ok, looks like you have no idea about what are you talking about.

First of all, no one cares about "a lot more land becomes arable", because even existing arable land is not fully used - there's already a lot of it, which allowed after transition to market economy after collapse of Soviet Union to increase agricultural production significantly and there are still unused thousands of square kilometers on Far East.

60% of Russian territory is a permafrost zone. Global warming dramatically changes the geology of this area, which has a lot of complications for construction and may severely damage existing infrastructure (including oil and gas pipes). This is well-known and recognized danger here.

Then, immigration. There's already water crisis in Middle Asia, which with population growth and rising Islamism in countries like Uzbekistan and Tajikistan is a huge problem for Russian security. Remember, we have open borders and visa-free travel with them. Plus millions of Chinese guest workers on Far East (and that's even bigger security issue, because on Chinese side of the border situation with ecology is much worse). Immigration is a real concern for Russia itself and any global factors that affect everything are not really useful.

[woodandsteel]

You make some good arguments. The problem is you are assuming that Putin is rational on this topic.

[woodandsteel]

According to a Reuter's article, "Putin told an international climate conference that warmer temperatures would mean Russians "spend less on fur coats" while "agricultural specialists say our grain production will increase, and thank God for that".

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-climatechange-summit-russi...

[ivan_gammel]

He did say that once, but it's not a policy statement apparently.

[woodandsteel]

Are you saying that Putin's true beliefs are quite different, and that he has long believed that anthropogenic climate change is occurring, and it is a threat to Russia? And if so, do you have any evidence from more than a couple years back?

Let me add that Obama has long be quite concerned about GCC, and he has made this quite clear in numerous public speeches for many years. He has done this because he wants the US public and the world to know where he stands.

If Putin was likewise concerned, then you would expect him to make this similarly clear, and it would be easy to come up with quotes over many years on the web.

[woodandsteel]

It fits his actions, and so I assume he really believes it and is acting on it. As I said above, he is an authoritarian leader, and so what the government actually does may be very different than the laws and policies it presents to the public.