Putin sets target to reduce Russia's greenhouse gas emissions to 65%-67% of 1990 levels by 2035

MOSCOW. Aug 6 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed the government to ensure the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to 65%-67% of 1990 levels by 2035.

The decree on reducing greenhouse gas emissions was published on the Kremlin's website on Wednesday.

According to the decree, the target should be achieved "taking into account the maximum possible absorption capacity of forests and other natural ecological systems, while ensuring the Russian Federation's sustainable and balanced socio-economic development and non-discriminatory access to equipment and technologies necessary for reducing/preventing greenhouse gas emissions and/or increasing their absorption."

"The new target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 65%-67% of the 1990 level by 2035 exceeds the previous one and will be the basis for preparing the Russian Federation's new NDC [nationally determined contribution to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement], which will be presented before the start of the 30th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change," the Russian Economic Development Ministry said in a press release.

The previous document adopted on November 4, 2020 to implement Russia's commitments under the Paris Agreement required the Russian government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 70% of 1990 levels by 2030.

The Economic Development Ministry said the new target was calculated using data from the Russian climate monitoring system created by implementing the innovative project titled "Unified National System for Monitoring Climate-Active Substances." The project facilitated the development of national ratios to concert economic and ecosystem indicators into greenhouse gas emissions. Their application revealed that net greenhouse gas emissions in Russia are 34% lower than previously thought based on UN ratios.

The 30th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30) will be held on November 11-22, 2025 in Belem, Brazil.