Russia became the only country in the world to announce acceleration in greenhouse gas emission growth in 2010-2020

22 June 2009

Russia’s announcement to reduce its 1990 emissions by 10-15 percent by 2020 is disappointing and sets a bad example for other countries who are trying to negotiate a global deal to save the world from climate change

On June 19, President Medvedev in an interview Russian Channel announced a 10-15% reduction of today’s emissions by 2020.

“Our position is that, based on the current situation, by 2020, we could reduce our emissions by around 10-15 percent. In this way, we would not deprive ourselves of development opportunities, while at the same time making our contribution to the international efforts to fight climate change. Overall, what this would mean is that over the total period from 1990 through to 2020, that is, over a thirty-year period, we would reduce our total emissions by 30 billion tons”, Dmitry Medvedev said in the interview.

Later on that day, Medvedev’s economic advisor Arkady Dvorkovich said that President was speaking about 10-15% reduction of 1990 level, not today’s level.

Russian greenhouse gas emissions have been decreasing constantly since early 90s, reaching a minimum in 1998 (60% from 1990 level). From 1999 to 2008, emissions grew by about 1% a year (in 2007, they made up 66% of 1990 level) with economic growth of 6-7% a year. Therefore, 85-90% of 1990 level by 2020 will mean an annual increase in emissions by 2-2,5%, which is a significant acceleration in emission growth.

“We do not understand where these figures come from”, says WWF-Russia CEO Igor Chestin. “The past 8 years have shown that if the government didn’t control greenhouse gas emissions at all, and economic growth continued, as in the pre-crisis times, by 2020 emissions would be about 80% of 1990 level. Does it mean that now the Government will start to artificially spur emission growth?”

“In 2008, WWF approved President’s order to increase energy efficiency by 40% by 2020. The announced accelerated emission growth implies Russia gives up this goal”, says Chestin.

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