Russia can become world leader in solving climate issues — scientist
MOSCOW, October 27. /TASS/. Russia has every opportunity to cope with the consequences of global warming and help the world in this area, Igor Mokhov, scientific director of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told TASS.
"Russia has every opportunity to be a world leader in solving climate issues. We have enormous opportunities, we must use them correctly," the expert said commenting on the country’s new climate doctrine.
Among the advantages Russia has, the scientist mentioned a large territory in different climatic zones and vast forests that convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. However, Russia needs to contain forest fires and take into account the risk of methane release when permafrost melts, he added.
After the sharp decline of domestic industry as a result of the collapse of the USSR in the 1990s, the country’s industry is now developing in line with international obligations to limit anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Surveillance, prediction, prevention
As the scientist recalled, the first version of the climate doctrine of 2009 was an important "pioneering step" - the document "formulated the correct modern points of view on the climate problem." "Fourteen years have passed since then, and science is providing more and more evidence of the role of man," Mokhov said.
The new doctrine, as the expert noted, makes it possible to build the country’s climate policy for a long period, predict consequences, and adapt to them in a timely and effective manner. Mokhov especially underscored the need for independent scientific research, which allows the country to be independent in drawing conclusions and adequately assess the processes and changes taking place in Russia and the world.
The expert stressed the need to develop a system of climate monitoring, including satellite observations, and climate modeling, and in connection with this, the need for supercomputers.
"This is the future. At one time, we were leaders in satellite measurements - in the 1960-1970s. Let’s hope that the situation will improve in the near future. We must not lose our position in ground-based monitoring, always taking into account the characteristics of different regions," the expert noted.
Mokhov expressed the hope that, as far as the lives of ordinary Russians are concerned, the implementation of the climate doctrine will contribute to changing many previous standards of social life and will ensure attention, for example, to such details of urban infrastructure as storm drainage. Its importance is increasing due to the increasing intensity of rainfall due to global warming. "And not only to work in the mode of the Emergency Situations Ministry, but also in the mode of timely upgrade and prevention," the scientist noted.
On October 26, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree approving the new Climate Doctrine of the Russian Federation. The document was published on the official legal information portal. The new doctrine has 21 pages, five sections (general provisions; goals, basic principles and objectives of climate policy, geographical and other features of the Russian Federation in solving climate change problems, implementation of climate policy, subjects of implementation of such policy) and 70 points.
