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Russia respects US decisions on Paris deal on climate change — official

Russian deputy foreign minister reiterated Moscow's commitment to the agreement

MOSCOW, June 1. /TASS/. Russia stays fully committed to compliance with the Paris agreement on climate change but it respects the evolution of opinions on the issue in the US, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told TASS on Thursday.

"Russia is committed to the agreement, as its elaboration was really painstaking," he said. "It's wrong to claim the Paris agreement is lopsided or unprofitable or takes account of the interests of only one group of countries, which the U.S. isn't a member of."

Still the sovereignty of any nation is incontestable, "and that's why we respect the evolution of Washington's political line."

The Paris Climate Agreement, which replaces the Kyoto Protocol, came into force in November 2016. A total of 175 countries signed it, 147 of which have already ratified the document. The aim of the agreement is to prevent a rise in the average temperature on the planet by more than two degrees Celsius compared to the pre-industrial area by 2100. Scientists believe that a more significant increase in temperatures can lead to irreversible environmental effects.

Under the deal, the United States was to cut its emissions by 26-28% by 2025. However, US President Donald Trump said on Thursday his country would withdraw from the deal.