Events/Comments

One of the most vivid environmental problems in the world is decreasing area and thickness of ice in the Arctic Ocean. The Arctic environment is an indicator of global warming. At the same time, the Arctic natural systems contain mechanisms that can exert strong impact on the climate, unwinding "diabolical spiral" of warming. The effects of all these factors shall be studied seriously. In addition, the Arctic shelf stores huge hydrocarbon reserves. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin calls for study and conservation of the Arctic resources.

The Sverdlovsk region becomes a pilot territory for development of a regional low-carbon strategy. This region is the most energy and resources consuming not only in Russia, but in the whole world. Now it is the first region in Russia, which has officially approved the issue of greenhouse gases reduction and has proposed 25% of GHG emission reduction at the regional level.

Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District numbers 10 projects on GHG emissions reduction. These projects will secure total CO2 emissions reduction of about 18 million tons by 2012 and are likely to bring about 125 million Euro of investments to the regional economy. Will they be implemented within the Joint Implementation mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol?

The UN Conference on Climate Change held on November 29 - December 11 in the Mexican city of Cancun has brought neither significant results, nor big disappointments. Russia's position over the last year has not changed and has not become more constructive. The Conference adopted the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions stated by countries a year ago. These goals are still too weak to solve the problem of climate change. The Green Climate Fund was agreed to be established for adaptation to climate change. The set of decisions adopted at the conference gives hope for the possibility of a new comprehensive climate agreement.

Russian presidential climate adviser Alexander Bedritsky claims at Cancún climate talks that "Russia will not participate in the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol." Meanwhile, in the current failure with a new legally binding climate agreement, preservation of the Kyoto Protocol may be the only option to continue global climate process. Russian NGOs call official delegation continue the efforts of the KPl working group to extend the protocol, until there is a comprehensive legally binding agreement that meets the current situation and includes the main positive elements of the Kyoto Protocol

Forestry is one of the main topics of UN climate talks in Cancun, Mexico. Russia has 23 % of the world's forests and is the real lungs of the planet. However, Russian boreal forests have no proper global appreciation. If the Russian taiga is not urgently included in the climate mechanisms, the planet will lose a major absorber of CO₂.

Position of the Russian environmental NGOs was presented at the UN Conference on Climate Change COP 16 in Cancún. Environmental activists oppose the transfer of quotas for GHG emissions left over from 2008 - 2012 period to the future. Environmental groups are calling on Russia to declare a moratorium on the sale of 6 billion tonnes of "the Kyoto period" quotas until at least 2020. Russian NGOs call to exclude completely nuclear power from the climate mechanisms and texts under negotiations. The booklet of the Russian Socio-Ecological Union about position of the public on climate change and energy policy was presented at the conference.

Monday 6 December was the “Health Day” in Cancun. Leading global medical and health groups launched the "Cancun Climate and Health Statement" for delegates. The statement calls on negotiators to consider the "real costs" of climate change and the benefits of strong action by taking the human health dimension into account. Analysis of Russian scientists has shown that reducing CO2 emissions by 3.5 thous. tons saves one human life in Russia per year.

The first week of international UN Climate Conference in Cancun has ended. Confrontation between developed and developing countries on the distribution of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions remains. On many issues, the proposals are diametrically opposed.
Review of the first week of negotiations at the UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun, prepared by the CAN-EECCA (Climate Action Network in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia).

The future of the Kyoto Protocol (KP) and transfer of its mechanisms for subsequent periods is discussed in Cancun. Russia has repeatedly stated that it considers appropriate to transfer unused quotas for CO2 emissions to the future periods of international agreements. Environmental NGOs are calling to abandon the sale of quotas and to take action to actually reduce emissions.