Moscow, 7 December: Russia should play a leading role at climate change talks, according to the Public Chamber.

"Russia, which is a leading energy power at present, should become an ecological donor and play one of the leading roles at international talks on preventing climate changes," says the Public Chamber's address which Interfax received on Monday (7 December). The address is timed to coincide with the conference of the parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change which is opening in Copenhagen.

The conference is to draw up a new agreement on preventing climate changes which will replace the current Kyoto Protocol which expires in 2012.

The Public Chamber believes that a more active role by Russia will assist global progress and make it possible to invest considerable funds in re-equipping production, ensuring energy efficiency and sustainable growth, including taking stock of unused national carbon emission permits under the Kyoto Protocol, as well as to develop projects for joint implementation of targeted ecological investment and to expand international cooperation in creating eco-economic compensation mechanisms, and to guarantee payment for ecosystem services, including preservation of forests, marshy areas and other natural resources.

The Public Chamber supports the aspiration of the world community to achieve a new agreement on the reduction of the negative effect on the environment. The address stresses the importance of interest on the part of civil society, business representatives and expert community in developing cooperation to prevent climate changes, increase energy efficiency and create a market for ecosystem services in the interests of sustainable development and Russia's active role in this process.

Of late the Russian government has taken a number of important steps in the field of energy efficiency and prevention of climate changes. Among them are a proposal by the president by 2020 to reduce greenhouse gases emissions by 20-25 per cent compared with the level of 1990, a law on energy efficiency, a stepping-up of the processes of joint implementation and creating the post of a presidential climate adviser.

Nevertheless, according to the Public Chamber, the Russian position in this area is not active enough. "At present, providing economic growth should be taking place against the background of active measures aimed at reducing greenhouse gases emissions, and for this renewable energy sources, national trading mechanisms for greenhouse gases emission permits and compensation for ecosystem services are needed," the address says.

The UN Climate Change Conference is taking place in Copenhagen on 7-18 December. The summit aims to achieve new global accords on control over climate changes as a follow-up to the Kyoto Protocol which expires in 2012. (Passage omitted)

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