Russia鈥檚 lower house of parliament voted in favour of ratifying the Kyoto protocol to curb climate change on Friday.
Russia鈥檚 state Duma voted 334 to 73 in favour of the climate treaty to cut global greenhouse gas emissions. The international treaty now requires ratification by the upper house of the Duma and a signature from president Vladimir Putin, which is expected within the next 14 days.
The decision will mean that the beleaguered international treaty will come into force around the world 90 days after Russia鈥檚 ratification is received by the UN.
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Conservationists and scientists welcomed the news. However, they warn that the plan to cut gas emissions is simply not enough to avert climate change. They also stress that the US 鈥� the world鈥檚 largest producer of greenhouse gases 鈥� must also drastically cut its emissions. The US has refused to ratify the protocol.
Scientific consensus
鈥淎t long last it looks like the Kyoto climate treaty is finally going to come into effect, and the world can begin the crucial battle against global warming, the biggest environmental threat the planet faces,鈥� says Catherine Pearce, Friends of the Earth International鈥檚 climate campaigner.
鈥淚t is great news for the climate,鈥� says David Wallace, vice president of the UK鈥檚 Royal Society. 鈥淧resident Putin has listened to the international scientific consensus that clearly points us towards the urgent need to tackle this global threat. In doing so he has withstood the dissenting voices from within his own government that preach inaction.鈥�
Russia had been set to sign up to the Kyoto protocol for many years, but at a conference in Moscow in October 2003, president Vladimir Putin declared that 鈥渁n increase of two or three degrees wouldn鈥檛 be so bad for a northern country like Russia鈥�. Senior economic advisers had also advised that ratification would damage Russia鈥檚 future economic growth.
Complex rules
The decision to go ahead by Russia is critical for the climate plan. Under the protocol鈥檚 complex rules, it could come into force only when countries responsible for 55% of the global emissions caused by industrialised nations ratify. If Russia does ratify, as now seems very likely, the key threshold will be passed.
However Stephen Tindale, executive director of Greenpeace warns: 鈥淜yoto by itself is not enough to protect people and the wider environment from the impact of a century of pumping the atmosphere full of polluting greenhouse gases.鈥�
The Royal Society says Russia鈥檚 move highlights that the US 鈥� responsible for producing 25% of carbon dioxide emissions globally 鈥� is isolated in 鈥渢urning its back on the protocol鈥�.
