MOSCOW, 13 February 2025. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the findings of a survey describing Russian opinions on global warming.

Anyway, it will warm up!

Nine in ten Russians (91%) are aware of global warming. However, the majority say they only have a shallow knowledge of the issue (62%).

The number of those who have a deep understanding of the problem (those respondents who say they know the topic deeply) has considerably decreased compared to early 2000s, when about 34-42% of respondents said they knew the topic well. In 2025 this percentage dropped to 29%, meaning that public interest or attention to global warming are in decline. At the same time, understanding of the topic grows with age (from 24% among Zoomers to 30-34% in Thaw and Stagnation generations). Those who often have a better knowledge of the topic are metropolitan residents (39%) and residents of the Urals federal district (37%). Eight percent of Russians know nothing about global warming, including 13% of Zoomers.

Human is not to blame?

Eighty-five percent of Russians agree that there is global warming; 7% denies that fact; 8% are undecided.  

Today 44% think that global warming is a natural process; it is an all-time high. Since 2008 this share has increased by 15 p.p. Fewer respondents agree that global warming is caused by human activity – 37%, an all-time low (vs 59% in 2007). 

What happens to the planet next?..

Over the recent two decades there has been a decline in public perceptions of global warming as a catastrophic threat. In 2007-2008 almost half of Russians (45-50%) considered climate change as a threat to the planet, but by 2025 this share has reduced in half — to the current 23% share.

Twenty-one percent of Russians consider that climate change can lead to worsening of living conditions, but only in particular regions. On the contrary, almost every fifth respondent (19%) believes that climate will get better (for example, milder Russian winter, more agricultural opportunities). In previous surveys this answer gained only 7-10%. The number of the undecided is also high (22%).

Overall, it cannot be said that there is a dominant viewpoint regarding consequences of global warming; each scenario has its support team. For example, women are more likely to point out the entire environmental degradation (28% vs. 18% of men); and men are more likely to mention climate improvement (24% vs. 16% of women). Zoomers often point out local climate degradation (36%).

…and Russia?

Opinions also differ as to the impact that global warming may have on Russia: 31% say the impact can be favorable; almost the same number of respondents opposes them (32%); a further 10% say no impact at all. Men are more inclined to choose the optimistic scenario (37%), while women tend to be skeptical (36%). Optimism increases with age: 18% of Zoomers and 41% of Thaw generation point out benefits of global warming. Fifty-six percent of Zoomers see negative impacts for the country, unlike the older generation (19%).

Russian VCIOM-Sputnik telephone survey was conducted February 10, 2025. A total of 1,600 respondents aged 18 and older took part in the survey. Survey method: telephone interview, stratified random sample based on a complete list of mobile phone numbers in use in Russia. The data were weighted for socio-demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes to the wording of questions and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.

Key effectiveness indicators, survey of 10 February 2025: cooperation rate (CR)* = 0.7957; minimum response rate (MRR)** = 0.0203; response rate (RR)*** = 0.0858. Calculations are based on corporate standard https://profi.wciom.ru/principy_standarty/korporativnyj-standart-po-izmereniyu-rezultativnosti-oprosov-sputnik-vciom/

* CR: the number of complete interviews divided by the sum of: а) complete interviews and b) non-interviews with eligible respondents.

** MRR: the number of complete interviews divided by the sum of: а) complete interviews, b) interrupted interviews after successful screening and c) all the respondents where it is unknown whether they meet the selected criteria or not.

 ** RR is calculated in the same way as MRR, with the only difference that the number of respondents with unknown eligibility decreases proportional to the percentage of eligible cases in the total number of respondents with identified eligibility or non-eligibility.

* Before 2017, surveys were conducted through household face-to-face interviews (Express project); stratified multi-stage sample, with quotas based on socio-demographic parameters; representative of the Russian population aged 18+, according to type of settlement, gender, age, education and federal district. Sample size: 1,600 respondents.

* Before 2017, surveys were conducted through household face-to-face interviews (Express project); stratified multi-stage sample, with quotas based on socio-demographic parameters; representative of the Russian population aged 18+, according to type of settlement, gender, age, education and federal district. Sample size: 1,600 respondents.

** Before 2025 this answer option was not included

* Before 2017, surveys were conducted through household face-to-face interviews (Express project); stratified multi-stage sample, with quotas based on socio-demographic parameters; representative of the Russian population aged 18+, according to type of settlement, gender, age, education and federal district. Sample size: 1,600 respondents.