Enigmatic is not only a Russian souls, but the Russian climate policy as well

Participants of the UN climate conference in Copenhagen are very interested, whether Russia will make a “present” to the rest of the world, not transferring hot-air quotas to the post-Kyoto period

An unnamed representative of the official Russian delegation at the talks in Copenhagen said that Moscow will not raise the issue of transferring unused quotas to the time period of the next agreement. “This will be our environmental present to the world” he said..

Meanwhile, the Minister for nature resourses and environment, Yuri Trutnev, in his interview to RIA Novosti called it important that the issues of transferring unused Kyoto quotas be included in the text of the agreement.

Half a year ago the Russian Socio-Ecological Union expressed its disappointment about the absence of the declared Russia’s position at the international climate talks. Now, when the talks entered the final and decisive phase, Russia has enigmatically appearing multiple positions, which often contradict. Yesterday we informed about opposite opinions about GHG emission reduction commitments expressed by the Russian President and the Minister of nature resources an environment. Now we hear contradictory positions about transfer of unused quotas to the next time period.

What does it mean? – The absence of a joint position and joint action plan neither on national climate policy, nor on international negotiations, or it is just incompetence of some high officials?

As for the quotas transfer, the Russian Socio-Ecological Union is sure that the transfer of unused emission permits (quotas) from the first period of the Kyoto Protocol is legally possible only if the Protocol is extended as an international legal instrument. In the context of developing a new international agreement, the issue of quotas transfer from 2008-2012 is irrelevant. From the standpoint of the integrity of the new agreement, such transfer of quotas should not be allowed. This position is expressed in the joint Statement of non-governmental organisations from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine adopted in November this year and addressed to the leaders of these countries.