“We should respond to the climate change challenges by adapting agriculture and industry, as well as housing services and the entire infrastructure to them,” he said, stressing that this would also require the establishment of a carbon utilisation industry along with strict carbon emissions controls.
New energy sources can help to successfully adapt to climate change. “We need new comprehensive solutions in the energy sector, including those in nuclear generation and such promising areas as hydrogen energy and energy storage,” Putin noted.
For industry, one of the main tasks will be to reduce CO2 emissions. “In the next 30 years, the accumulated net emission of greenhouse gases in Russia should be less than in the European Union. This is not an easy task given the size of our country, its geography and climate and the structure of the economy. However, I am sure that such a goal can be achieved, regarding our potential in science and technology,” the President said.
Reducing emissions will require modernisation of industry and transport, as well as utilities and electricity in the largest Russian industrial cities. “By 2024, air emissions in the 12 largest industrial centers should be reduced by 20%. Moreover, I propose to extend emission quotas to all cities with low air quality, as well as to introduce strict liability for violation of these standards. There is no doubt that these decisions should be based on transparent monitoring,” Putin noted.
Another step should be to provide citizens with access to reliable and environmentally friendly energy sources that are most optimal for a particular region. “This could be either electricity generated from renewable sources, or environmentally friendly coal (this is possible thanks to modern technologies), or piped and liquefied natural gas. In coordination with the federal government, regional leaders should draft detailed plans in this area, starting to act as early as next year. For example, in Kamchatka it is necessary to establish a local gas receiving infrastructure in order to provide residents and enterprises of the region with gas reliably and for a long time,” he stressed.
The changes will also affect the gasification process: the President insists that citizens should not pay for gas supply directly to their site. “It happens that there is a pipe, but there is no gas in the household. Together with the regions, the government should draft a clear plan to provide gas supplies for such households. In this regard, I support the initiative of the United Russia party: household owners should not pay extra for gas supply to the border of their land plot,” Putin said.
“Our environment policy is based on sound principles and undoubtedly need not be subject to revision”, the President summed up.
