MOSCOW, July 26. /TASS/. Russia should fix the deadline for reaching carbon neutrality shortly, but it shouldn’t attempt to keep up with the EU and the US that plan to reach this parameter by 2050, special envoy of the Russian President for relations with international organizations and attainment of sustainability goals Anatoly Chubais said on Monday.
Carbon neutrality or zero emissions mean that carbon dioxide emissions are not above the volumes that can be consumed by the world’s oceans and forests.
"I believe Russia needs to definitely fix the carbon neutrality deadline shortly. This should be done. Attempts to avoid it are senseless," Chubais said. "This is thesis number one. Thesis number two is that I do not believe we can do it at the same levels as the European Union and the US. I do not think also we need to catch up and, furthermore, to outpace them. The reason is simple, <…> the Russian economy differs dramatically from the European and the US ones," he noted.
Russia is currently at the stage of developing fundamentals for its climate policy, the envoy said. This development is proactive, he noted. There was nothing comparable in terms of activity as late as six months ago, Chubais said.
"The Russian climatic policy should be developed in any case in interaction with the whole world, with the expert community," he said. "The fundamental principles of this policy must be internationally recognized, then Russia can receive not merely problems but also benefits from the unveiling global technology revolution," the special envoy said.
Russia at the same time has the right to demand non-discrimination from partners in matters of carbon dioxide gas consumption by environmental systems, he added.