Regulatory Gap: Legal Uncertainty in the Context of the Population Status in Russia’s Climate Change Adaptation

This study examines the population’s legal status within the climate change adaptation frameworks in the Russian Federation. The research aims to identify and analyze the contradictions between the de facto central role of the population as the primary bearer of climate risks and its ambiguous, underrepresented position in the national regulatory system. Employing a qualitative analysis of Russian strategic documents and federal legislation, the study reveals a regulatory gap: the population is not officially recognized as the “climate-vulnerable object” (CVOs) of the national regulation. Consequently, the population is not guaranteed with legal protection, though it is officially considered a beneficiary of climate protection measures. The current Russian model of climate adaptation can be described as technocratic and infrastructure-focused, ignoring specific social vulnerabilities, limiting direct resilience measures, and creating systemic legal uncertainty. The findings highlight a significant misalignment between Russia’s current approach and internationally dominant, socially-oriented paradigms centered on human rights, vulnerability, and public participation. The article suggests key recommendations for legislative development, including the official recognition of the population’s status, methodologies for assessing social vulnerability and non-economic losses, and the implementation of direct, targeted adaptation measures to foster a humancentric model of climate resilience.