Russia approved a long-term government climate strategy aimed at achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 on Monday (November 1), and rejected allegations that the United States had not done enough on climate change at the beginning of the COP26 meeting.
President Vladimir Putin, the world’s number one leader. A Kremlin spokesperson said that as the No. 4 emitter of greenhouse gases in a greenhouse gas emitter, he planned to provide recorded information at the Glasgow meeting, but he did not attend and was unable to speak at the scene.
The absence of Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping is seen as a blow to the prospects for a breakthrough in the talks. The Russian leader made a speech via a video link during the G20 climate change negotiations on Sunday.
The deadline for halting net carbon emissions in 2050 is widely regarded as necessary to prevent the most extreme global warming; on the contrary, Russia and China both pledged to achieve the 2060 target.
After the G20 meeting, US President Joe Biden criticized Russia and China for not making recommendations. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected this criticism on a conference call on Monday.
“Russia as a country is making great efforts and will continue to systematically reduce the man-made climate burden, but this is a process that requires all countries to take appropriate measures,” he said.
He said that it is not feasible to hold an on-site Putin video conference in Glasgow. “However, the Forestry and Land Use Management Conference will be held in Glasgow… The President has already recorded a speech for the conference participants,” he said.
The government announced that it has approved a 2050 strategy to reduce carbon emissions. The strategy envisages that Russia will reduce its net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 to 80% of 1990 levels and 60% of 2019 levels.
The document stated that this major “intensive” scenario will put Russia on the road to achieving carbon neutrality no later than 2060, a goal announced by Putin earlier this year.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said at a government meeting that Russia will start implementing green projects next year, including projects aimed at carbon capture, referring to a technology that is still in its early stages.
