Russia might ratify Paris Agreement by yearend - Gordeyev
MOSCOW. April 23 (Interfax) - Russia might ratify the Paris Agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by the year's end, Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Gordeyev said at his meeting with German Economic Cooperation and Development Minister Gerd Mueller in Moscow.
"Russia welcomes the conclusion of the Paris Agreement and views it as the solid international legal foundation for a long-term climate solution. We are preparing to ratify this document in line with with domestic legislative procedures. We are expecting to finalize the preparations and to ratify the Paris Agreement by the end of 2019," Gordeyev's press service quoted him as saying.
"Our primary domestic objective is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to at least 75% of 1990's amounts by 2020. In fact, Russia seeks to maintain emissions at the same level for 35 years, which is a highly ambitious task. In doing so, we will largely compensate for the increased emissions in other countries and regions and will make an unprecedented contribution to the preservation of climate and humanity," Gordeyev said.
According to the Paris Agreement, humanity can avoid irreversible consequences by keeping average temperature growth at 1.5-2 degrees Celsius against the temperatures of the pre-industrial epoch.
Russia is actively working on an all-inclusive normative legal act, which will provide state regulation of greenhouse emissions, the Russian Economic Development Ministry said in a statement. This document meets every climate cooperation priority and is undergoing interagency coordination.
For instance, it envisages regulation of greenhouse gas emissions by relevant agencies, which would record and systematize information on emission levels. The ministry has set up a working group to prepare analytical materials and recommendations for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the prevention of climate change and its consequences.
The Russian authorities have adjusted their approach to projects, Gordeyev said. A series of national projects will be implemented to address key national goals and key effectiveness indicators set by the government. For instance, the Ecology national project has kicked off to combine a number of federal environmental projects and to consolidate efforts of federal, regional, and municipal authorities in the improvement of environmental conditions in the country.
Mueller responded that Russia's ratification of the Paris Agreement would send an important message to the entire global community.
He called for intensifying bilateral cooperation with the participation of experts, scientists, and businessmen and for establishing an ad hoc interagency working group to search for solutions to the global challenges of hunger, environmental problems, and bio-diversity.
Gordeyev supported the initiative as being timely in the light of the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030, which was approved by all civilized nations.