Recently Reported Greenhouse Gas Emissions Level: 1587.02 Metric Tons in 2018, a Decrease of 26.65% from 1990 Levels (Source: IEA)

Statistics and emissions trends for Russian greenhouse gas (GHG) levels regularly get sent to the UNFCCC and are available for public viewing. With most recent data from 2018, research indicates that excluding LULUCF, Russia’s total GHG emissions for the year were at 2.2 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. The elemental breakdown of this figure and proportion of each greenhouse gas and pollutant are available on the UNFCCC website.

The official International Energy Association figures tell a different story though. The IEA states that in 2018, Russia emitted 1587.02 Megatons of CO₂, a decrease of 26.65 % from 1990. On a global scale, Russia is solely responsible for 5.36% of global emissions. Even though this ranking is from 2018, Greenpeace Russia’s Vladimir Chuprov believes this proportion of GHG emissions has not changed much over the years.

As one of Russia’s leading climate policy experts, Chuprov announced a law from September 2020 will finally allow forests to grow on previously abandoned agricultural land. Legislative shortcomings in the past prohibited growing forests on lands which were officially registered as having agricultural purposes.

Speaking to this new development, Chuprov explained: “[This was] pure legislative stupidity, of course, which was corrected by campaign of NGOs and active people in Russia. New rules mean that 300 million tonnes of CO₂ eq. could be absorbed annually by new forests in the coming decades.” Additionally, the program of tenders to support green energy in Russia (ДПМ ВИЭ) will result in 11.3 billion kWh energy production coming from renewable sources by 2025. Chuprov noted that around 3.3 million tonnes of CO₂ eq. will be avoided in the year 2025 as a result.

The Russian draft of low-carbon strategy for 2050 proposes two weak indicators that ought to be identified. Firstly, in an “intensive green scenario” Russia will see an increase of emissions by 2030 amounting to 64% of 1990 levels. Secondly, in a “basic scenario”, Russia is projected to produce emissions at 64% of 1990 levels; in an “intensive scenario” that figure drops to 52% of 1990 levels. Chuprov concludes that for now, there is no sign that Russia will be achieve carbon neutrality.

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Activity Ratings

Emissions Level: * / 4 stars

Existing Policies: ** / 4 stars

Combined Activity Rating: *** / 8 stars

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Contact:

Alexander Novak, Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation

Address: 42 Schepkina st, 107996, Moscow, Russia

Telephone: +7 495 631 8746, +7 495 631 8747

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This post was submitted by Russia Country Manager Maria Stambler.

Image Source: NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA/ Staff/Getty Images