Proposals of Russian NGOs on Russian Position at the International Climate Conference UNFCCC COP-19/MOP-9 in Warsaw

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) note the importance of the documents on climate change adopted by Russia, including the Presidential Decree on reducing greenhouse gases emissions, the Climate Doctrine of the Russian Federation and the Comprehensive Plan for Implementation of the Climate Doctrine of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2020, as well as governmental decisions to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy intensity of the Russian economy.

Pointing out that international climate agreements as a whole meet national interests of Russia on modernization and technological renewal, we urge the President and the Government of the Russian Federation to take additional and immediate actions needed to implement effective international and national climate and energy policies:

• To make every effort for adoption at the UN 2013 Conference UNFCCC COP-19/MOP-9 the decisions required for a comprehensive legally binding agreement to be worked out by the end of 2015. The agreement must be such that the current growth in global emissions of greenhouse gases is stopped no later than in 2020.
• To adopt a national goal for deadline to stop the growth of greenhouse gas emissions, and to ensure that no later than by 2015.
• To adopt the 50% reduction in emissions from 1990 levels in total for all sources and sinks as the national strategic objective for 2050, and to strive for 80% reduction. The Comprehensive Plan for Implementation of the Climate Doctrine shall be completed by the "road map" of actions that ensures such a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
• To develop clear national priorities and an action plan to reduce emissions of soot ("black carbon") and reduce their impact on human health and the environment, using the provisions of the international framework coalition "The climate and clean air," the decision to join which Russia has made in 2012.
• To strive for developing international mechanisms that take into account absorption of CO2 by boreal forests. To adopt an independent national program with targets of CO2 absorption by forests of Russia and their climate-saving features to promote sustainable and environmentally conscious forest management in the long term.
• Reorient investment programs aimed at subsidizing nuclear power and power plants that use fossil fuels to state support for development and production of renewable energy sources and equipment for them, energy-saving materials for construction, and energy-efficient equipment and technologies.

We underline that nuclear energy should not be considered as a solution to climate change because of the highest energy consumption in its production cycle, the unsolved problem of nuclear wastes, risks of accidents, and the impact of thermal effects of NPP waste water, wet cooling towers, and many other factors on the climate.

We are ready for the civil dialogue on all the above issues.

Participants of the VI All-Russian Conference of the Russian Socio-Ecological Union "Public support for energy efficiency and development of civil dialogue on climate change and sustainable energy" (August 22-23, 2013, St. Petersburg, 54 participants from 32 regions of the Russian Federation).