Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered that greenhouse gas emissions in Russia be reduced by 70 percent compared to the year 1990.
That goal must be achieved by 2030 at the latest, according to the decree issued by the Kremlin on Wednesday.
It also mentions that the warming of the climate in Russia is going faster than in other parts of the world. Scientists are particularly concerned about the thawing of the permafrost layer in the Siberian soil, releasing massive amounts of methane gas.
Putin’s decree was issued the day the United States formally left the Paris Climate Agreement. Climate scientists around the world warn that firm measures are needed to prevent the Earth from warming by more than 2 degrees from pre-industrial temperatures.
Russia, the world’s largest country in surface area, is noticing global warming not only from the thawing layers of permafrost but also from massive forest fires and record temperatures in remote Asian regions this year.
Putin has also instructed his government to develop a strategy for climate-neutral social and economic development by 2050.
Russia, which is rich in many natural resources, is very dependent on gas and petroleum. It is one of the countries with the highest carbon dioxide emissions. Almost a third of the land area is permanently frozen. If that soil thaws, it will have far-reaching consequences for global climate change.