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Climate Actions

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) note the importance of the documents on climate change adopted by Russia, including 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.

A few days ago the Russian Foreign Ministry has once again confirmed that, from next year, Russia is not going to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases under the Kyoto Protocol, but Russia stands for the transfer of quotas. The global amount of unused quotas for CO2 emissions could reach 17 billion tons by 2020. Experts believe that this enormous amount threatens the viability of any future climate agreement.

By data of recent researches, introduction of a tax on carbon dioxide emissions will give a USD 1.5 trl. increase to American budget and will become an instrument for the “therapy” of financial deficit. If Russia does not adopt a system of control on greenhouse gas emissions, it will make itself vulnerable against international carbon taxes after it declined to participate in the second stage of the Kyoto Protocol, - experts believe.

Active participation of the RF delegation in the discussion on the future of the second stage of the Kyoto Protocol at the UN session of climate negotiations, which has just ended in Bangkok, gave a hope that the country is intending to join the climatic agreement. However, Presidential Advisor on climate issues Alexander Bedritsky resolutely refuted any gossips on Russia’s possible participation in KP-2 and stated that “as long as the decision was made by the President, this issue should be resolved at the same presidential level…”

In the ten years, Russia’s total amount of greenhouse gases emissions went up by 10.7%; further growth by 11,2 % is predicted by 2020. Reasonable climate policy and adoption of internal targets on emissions reduction in the country could let Russia benefit from the international markets of low-carbon technologies and renewable energy sources.

Adviser to RF President on the issues of climate changes Alexander Bedritsky came out with the initiative to limit internal emissions of greenhouse gases at the national level.

Speaking at the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev declared importance of ensuring consistency of the energy policy of the world leading countries and proposed to come back to Russia's initiatives on energy security at the UN.
http://government.ru/docs/19427/

Russia decided to join the global initiative to reduce the short living climate factors (SLCF) within the G8 framework. Representatives of environmental NGOs are sure that participation in this agreement will encourage Russia to implement additional climate action that will benefit its economy.

The year 2011 set a record of CO2 emissions: the amount of climate pollution has increased by 1 Gt and made 31.6 Gt, says the recent International Energy Agency (IEA) report http://www.iea.org/newsroomandevents/news/2012/may/name,27216,en.html

On the eve of the Rio +20 International Conference on Sustainable Development, to be held in Rio de Janeiro in late June, more than a million citizens have signed a call for world leaders to stop subsidizing fossil fuels - coal, oil and gas.

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