Medvedev calls on Russian government to act on climate change doctrine

MOSCOW, March 17, 2010 (RIA Novosti)

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ordered the government on Wednesday to adopt measures aimed at implementing the national climate doctrine approved last year.

"I would like the government to adopt by October 1 a set of measures to implement the doctrine, including the development of the necessary regulations," Medvedev said.

Medvedev signed Russia's climate doctrine in December 2009 in the midst of the controversial UN climate summit in Copenhagen.

He insisted that the government integrate various programs aimed at tackling climate changes caused by man into the doctrine implementation.

Those programs, he said, should bring the doctrine up to date with the dramatic climate changes affecting Russia's Arctic and northern regions.

He also ordered that infrastructure facilities in regions with severe climatic conditions be thoroughly checked and repaired where needed.

Medvedev also spoke of the need for a global climate agreement, but one which would "answer the interests of Russia's sustainable development." But this, he said, would need a strong coordinated effort from all branches of Russia's government.

The president said the time was ripe for the government to work out a "mechanism to coordinate interdepartmental work, including not only monitoring and research components, but also diplomatic and informational aspects."

He said that while the 2009 Copenhagen Summit was a disappointment, with both developing and developed countries failing to agree on emission restrictions, Russia was determined to push forward strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, saying the country could then meet its target of a 25% cut by 2020.

The UN climate summit in the Danish capital was originally expected to see the signing of a new agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol, but countries only agreed to try to keep average increases in global temperatures below 2 degrees Celsius.

The Kyoto Protocol is a legally binding agreement restricting carbon emissions, some points of which expire in 2012. A new global climate deal is needed to continue efforts beyond 2012.

Russian president signs climate doctrine - aide

13:0717/12/2009

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has signed a national climate doctrine, Kremlin aide Arkady Dvorkovich said on Thursday.

Russian Natural Resources Minister Yury Trutnev said earlier the doctrine, which envisages measures to be taken by the country's government, was designed to enhance the efficiency of the Russian economy, primarily energy efficiency.

"Climate change could substantially affect the efficiency of various industries, including agriculture and forestry; there may be positive changes in some places, and other places could face negative effects," the presidential aide said during a press conference.

Dvorkovich assured reporters that Russia's plans to cut hydrocarbon gas emissions were harmonized with the national economic development strategy.

"We will not commit ourselves to any restrictions that would negatively affect our economic growth potential," he said.

On Monday, Medvedev announced that Russia would restrict its greenhouse gas emissions to 25% of 1990 levels by 2020.

The president wrote on his blog that Russia could reduce the release of 30 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere each year by enhancing its energy and environmental efficiency through economic modernization based on energy-saving technology and the development of renewable energy sources.

Medvedev will attend a meeting of heads of state and government on Thursday in Copenhagen, where the UN climate change conference has been underway since December 7.

On Friday, Medvedev will address the UN conference proper "with a brief speech... to last five or six minutes," Dvorkovich said.

The Kremlin official said Russia expected the conference to adopt an action plan for the next few months at least.

"Some time ago we certainly expected that the Copenhagen conference would lead to the signing of a framework agreement defining the principles of further work and major mechanisms and commitments on the part of countries. Today, reaching an agreement on principles would be progress," Dvorkovich said.

He said Russia was ready to allocate $200 million as part of a $10 billion international assistance package to developing countries.

Developing economies set financial assistance as a condition for their involvement in any climate change deal, with most industrialized countries prepared to contribute.

Dvorkovich said Russia would like to have a clear idea of how the funds would be spent and if there would be any further plans.

"It is clear about the first $10 billion. The question is how much more will be required," he said.

MOSCOW, December 17 (RIA Novosti)

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