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News and Information
Russian MPs ratify Kyoto treaty
| October 22, 2004 |
Russia's lower house of parliament has ratified the Kyoto Protocol - the international treaty on climate change.
The United Nations treaty, already backed by 126 countries, needed Russia's support before it could come into force.
The State Duma voted 334-73 to approve the treaty, which calls on signatories to cut their greenhouse gas emissions.
The move has been hailed by activists, but some Russian officials argue it will hinder economic growth.
The protocol still has to pass through the upper parliament and be signed into law by President Vladimir Putin.
Both further stages should be a formality, says the BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Moscow, meaning the Kyoto protocol could get final approval from Russia within the month.
Tipping the balance
"We'll toast the Duma with vodka tonight," Greenpeace climate policy adviser Steve Sawyer said.
"The entry into force of Kyoto is the biggest step forward in environmental politics and law we have ever seen," said Jennifer Morgan, director of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) conservation group's climate change programme.
"We are happy that the Russian Duma has decided to ratify. I would also like to thank President Putin for his personal support for this process," European Commission president Romano Prodi said, the AFP news agency reported.
"We hope that the United States will now re-consider its position," he added.
Global temperature simulation climateprediction.net
Kyoto 'won't hit' Russian economy
The US, world's biggest polluter, pulled out of the treaty in 2001.
Friends of the Earth International called for "international pressure" to encourage the US and Australia to join.
"If they want to be responsible members of the world community, they must wake up to the threat of climate change, sign up to Kyoto, and take urgent action to cut their emissions," campaigner Catherine Pearce told the AFP news agency.
Klaus Toepfer, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), said the vote was a milestone that would concentrate efforts to meet the targets.
For Russia, backing the pact is more a political move than an environmentally friendly one, our correspondent says.
The Russian Duma was never expected to resist ratification as it is filled with Vladimir Putin's allies and the powerful president made his support for Kyoto clear last month.
President Putin agreed to fast-track the ratification of Kyoto in May, when the EU promised to support Russia in its bid to join the World Trade Organisation.
However, some officials have argued it could hinder economic growth.
Mr Putin's own economic adviser, Andrei Illarionov, fiercely opposed ratification.
Buying and selling
Although it was adopted nearly seven years ago, the Kyoto Protocol had until now remained a statement of intent, rather than a legally binding document.
To come into force, it needed to be ratified by developed nations that account for at least 55% of global greenhouse emissions.
After the US pulled out, that figure could only be reached with the support of Russia, which accounts for 17% of world emissions.
Power station, PA
Scientists say greenhouses gases may have to be cut by up to 60%
Within 90 days of Russia's ratification, Kyoto signatories must start making cuts that will reduce emissions of six key greenhouse gases to an average of 5.2% below 1990 levels by 2012.
Countries which fail to meet the targets will face penalties and the prospect of having to make deeper cuts in future.
Governments have been setting individual emissions limits for polluting companies.
Any company which performs well can sell spare emissions capacity to an under-performing one.
BBC science analyst Tracey Logan notes that many experts believe that Kyoto will be largely ineffective as the world's two biggest emitters, the US and China, will not cut their outputs.
Although China did sign the protocol, as a developing country it is not yet required to begin reducing emissions.
Our analyst adds that mainstream climate scientists suspect that greenhouse gases may have to be cut by as much as 60% to stabilise the global climate. |
Source: BBCNEWS |
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