Monthly Highlights from the Russian Arctic, August 2024
In this news digest, we monitor events that impact the environment in the Russian Arctic. Our focus lies in identifying the factors that contribute to pollution and climate change.
News
Publish date: November 19, 2004
Written by: Hanne Bakke
Translated by: Charles Digges
News
The hand over of the documentation took place during a meeting of the UN Security Council in Nairobi, Kenya. Russias ratification of the treaty aimed at reducing emissions of gasses dangerous to the climate will finally take effect on February 1690 days after the delivery of Russian President Vladimir Putins signature.
The hand over of the documentation took place during a meeting of the UN Security Council in Nairobi, Kenya. Russias ratification of the treaty aimed at reducing emissions of gasses dangerous to the climate will finally take effect on February 1690 days after the delivery of Russian President Vladimir Putins signature.
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This is a historical step forward in the worlds battle against a true global threat, Anna said in a statement. He also emphasised that Russias ratification of the protocol puts and end to the seemingly endless uncertainty of the Kremlin over signing Kyotowhich was presented first in 1997 at the Kyoto gathering of the then-Group of Seven industrialized nationswould ever take force.
After months of public wavering, and a public battles between Putin and his top economic advisor Andrei Illiaronovwho was vehemently opposed to Russias ratification of the protocol, saying it would strangle Russian industrythe presidents cabinet submitted it for ratification to the Russian State Duma, which signed off on it in short order on October 22. It was then cleared by the Federation Council, the Dumas upper chamber and signed by Putin.
These documents were then passed to the UN yesterday.
There has been much speculation that Russias final capitulation to Kyoto was based on implicit promises from the European Unionwhich has ardently supported the protocol and been in shuttle diplomacy with the Kremin to secure its signaturethat Moscow will have a seat at the World Trade Organisation table.
Moscow also stands to make billions in the coming emissions trading market that, under Kyoto, allows countries that are already under 1990 emissions levelsthe protocols eventual targeyto sell their clean emissions credits to countries that are over 1990 levels. Russias bank of emissions credits is the result of the post-Soviet crash in industrial production.
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Russias endorsement of the treat has been necessary since 2001 when the United States declared it would not support the Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol must be signed by industrialised nations that account for at least 55 percent of total industrial and greenhouse emissions. Until yesterday, the Kyoto had the support of countries accounting for 46 percent. Russia alone accounts for some 17 percent of these total emissions addressed in the Protocol. The USA accounts for 32 percent.
From February 16th a combined 128 nations will be obliged to honour the treaty direction them to reduce their own emissions levels of six climactically dangerous gasses by five percent a year until they reach 1990s emissions levels by 2012.
Next month, the signatory nations will gather for the COP 10 climate conference in Buenos Aires. Last years conference was dominated by Russias vacillations over ratifying Kyoto. Now, this years conference can distinguish itself by addressing future challenges.
Annan is also calls on participants of COP 10 to seize on possibilities that lay in the fact that the Kyoto protocol will now come into effect in 90 days.
In this news digest, we monitor events that impact the environment in the Russian Arctic. Our focus lies in identifying the factors that contribute to pollution and climate change.
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