Transforming Russian Environmental Policy: The Liberal Project.

During the Soviet era scientists were well respected and although outright dissension was rare, they were often included in the policy making process. Under the new set of liberal, post-Soviet circumstances, the scientists are influential, but their favored position has decreased and is now in the context of an expanded pluralism including the emergent local, national and international NGOs. Little work has addressed the role of liberalism in post-communist social organization. This research contributes to this growing literature. One effect the change from a centralized political economy to a liberal political economy had was to set the stage for a commensurate liberal environmental policy process. We warn that liberal policy processes do not make promises of environmental quality. However now environmental conditions in Russia will depend on the short term interests and capability of individual groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]