Risks and Opportunities in Relation to Sustainable Energy Development in Siberia and the Russian Far East from the Viewpoint of Biblical Ecology
Authors:   Asia-Europe Perspective Association, Lee Kyong-Wan 
Published: June 2018

This paper aims at establishing an alternativel risk management system from the biblical ecological viewpoint and identifying risks and opportunities in Siberia and the Russian Far East regarding sustainable energy development.
A biblical ecological worldview is characterized by theocentric hierarchical relational identities and isomorphic correspondence between God, Humankind and nature(other kinds of creatures and elements). From that viewpoint, modern anthropocentric Christian discourses, based on optimism of human reason and morality, are prone to weakening awareness of the existence of transcendental beings like God and devils. As alternative discourses to them, ecocentric Christian discourses have come to the fore since the second half of the 20th century. These alternative perspectives are imbued with eclectical integration of biblical and mystic ideas of divinities, horizontal egalitarianism between humans and natural environment, belief in transfiguration of all creatures into divinities in the world, and identification of original biblical Christianity dating back the 1st and 2nd centuries with successive Christian cultures. Both anthropocentric and ecocentric Christian viewpoints share more optimistic and mystic conviction in humanities and comparatively weak awareness of destructive influence of evil powers and sins on the relationship between spiritual, human and natural dimensions.
The concept of risk according to hierarchical biblical worldviews takes into consideration spiritual(transcendental and immanent), human and natural dimensions. The biblical conceptualization of risk management sheds light on the impact of human response to God's message on the whole relationships between these three dimensions.
The Russian Orthodox-based religious culture holds theocentric and ecocentric elements simultaneously in the form of partial integration of Orthodoxy with Slavic pre-Christian polytheism and/or Siberian Shaman tradition. In addition, mysticism, monasticism and negative theology, messianism, etc. will influence the Russian mentality in the direction of preventing it from inducing any viable risk management against uncertainties in the world. Besides, in the modern period, Russian national identity has wavered between Orthodox-based messianic self-awareness and west-centric Orientalism. On the other hand, there are universal and theocentric elements in Russian religious culture, on the basis of which the Russian society could establish a new relational identity with God, the west and other nations and natural environment, which would lead to improving the Russian society' risk management capability.
When it comes to risk factors and opportunities in environment and energy in Siberia and the Russian Far East according to the biblical concepts of risks and risk management, in respect to climate change and environment the Russian eastern part is regarded as very vulnerable to those risk factors. Scientific estimation of the influence of climate change on meteorologic conditions, human health, agriculture, and social infra in the eastern part shows its vulnerability to uncertainties in natural realm. On the contrary, the increase of temperature by 1-2℃may create new socio-economical opportunities including expansion of arable land and residential areas, increase in exploitable energy resources, and boost of tourism. However, the long-term risk factors would threaten the promising short-term opportunities, which could be realized under the prerequisites of comprehensive and consistent approaches. However, ideological and institutional conflicts between the west and Russia over the crucial climate change and environmental issues lower the institutional and material potentials of effective risk management.
In energy sector, oil and gas exploitation and transport projects in permafrost zones and Arctic continental shelves are estimated very vulnerable to climate change and environmental problems.