Why the climate agenda sounds loud but does not yield positive results, what needs to be changed, to whom and what the "albedo" has to do with it was told by Andrey Melnichenko in his recent interview with Tucker Carlson.
CONTEXT
Climate change is one of the most important contemporary challenges. Key existing international treaties (e.g. the Paris Agreement) aim to limit temperature rise to between 1.5 and 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Huge financial resources are allocated for decarbonisation and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. However, UN experts already state that in almost all scenarios the temperature rise will exceed the limits set by the Paris Agreement.
To a large extent, the dismal results are due to the fact that international efforts to combat global warming are focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with human activity. At the same time, these emissions represent only 5-6 per cent of the global carbon cycle.
RISKS
At the same time, certain regions of the world are more vulnerable and sensitive to climate change. One such region is the Arctic - according to Roshydromet data, temperatures here are rising 2-4 times faster than the global average. The rise in temperature provokes the melting of permafrost and, as a result, greenhouse gas emissions (permafrost is the largest store of organic carbon).
Experts estimate that annual greenhouse gas emissions due to permafrost thawing may amount to 0.5 to 2 Gt of carbon. For comparison, the volume of anthropogenic emissions of the Russian Federation is about 0.5 Gt of carbon per year. Thawing permafrost will make it much more difficult for Russia and the whole world to achieve climate goals, and in the worst case scenario will lead to catastrophic climate change.
RUSSIAN POTENTIAL
Russia has a unique potential to apply natural solutions in different types of ecosystems, including the permafrost zone. Harnessing this potential will allow our country to implement an independent, balanced and balanced climate policy based on national priorities and natural climate assets. In addition, it will allow Russia to strengthen its position in the international climate dialogue and build mutually beneficial climate partnerships with friendly countries also interested in using natural climate solutions (China, Brazil, South Africa, India, UAE, etc.).