Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 70 percent from 1990 levels in the fight against climate change. The goal should be achieved by 2030, it said in a decision by the Kremlin chief published on Wednesday.
Russia complains that the temperature rise in the
country is stronger than in other parts of the world . Scientists are particularly concerned that the
permafrost soils in Siberia are thawing and, for example, releasing gigantic amounts of climate-damaging methane gas.
Putin's decree fell on the day the United States' exit from the
Paris Agreement of 2015 officially took effect. The agreement of the United Nations provides for global warming to be limited to 2 degrees Celsius, if possible even to 1.5 degrees. As the largest country in the world, Russia is feeling the consequences of climate change not only through the thawing of permafrost soils, but also through annual temperature records, massive forest fires and floods.