Russia targets carbon neutrality by 2060, says PM Mishustin at COP29 UPDATED

During his address at the COP29 Leaders Summit in Baku, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin announced that Russia aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.

“We plan to reach carbon neutrality by 2060. We focus on increasing energy efficiency, the development of electric transport, and the introduction of modern solutions in agriculture and forestry. In Russia, 85 per cent of the energy balance is already accounted for by ‘clean,’ low-emission generation. This is primarily gas, nuclear power, and renewable energy,” Mishustin stated, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.  

He highlighted that the Russian Federation has managed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than half compared to 1990 levels.

Mishustin emphasized the importance of unified global efforts to combat climate change and outlined four priority areas for collaboration. These areas include setting a new collective climate finance goal for developing countries, ensuring that no technology is discriminated against under the pretext of addressing global warming, creating a unified system to assess the quality of climate projects, and enhancing cooperation among scientific communities to make effective decisions on decarbonization and climate adaptation.

It should be noted that Mishustin arrived in Azerbaijan to participate in the COP29 climate change conference earlier on November 13.

The guest was welcomed at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku by Justice Minister Farid Ahmadov and officials, 

Since November 11, Azerbaijan has been welcoming presidents, prime ministers and dignitaries of foreign countries, as well as heads of global organisations to participate in the COP29 climate change conference. 

During two weeks, from November 11 through 22, Baku welcomes around 70,000 to 80,000 international guests, including leaders from governments, business and civil society to advance concrete solutions to the record-high global temperatures, and extreme weather events affecting people around the globe.

The COP29 conference mainly focuses on finance, as trillions of dollars are required for countries to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect lives and livelihoods from the worsening impacts of climate change.

The conference is also a key moment for countries to present their updated national climate action plans under the Paris Agreement, which are due by early 2025. If done right, these plans will limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and double as investment plans advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.

By Khagan Isayev