Statement of Russian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC COP26

 We call on the countries participating in the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC to act urgently:

• Strengthen GHG emission reduction goals for 2030-35, develop internationally coordinated comprehensive plans to achieve them, taking into account all sources of anthropogenic emissions. These goals and plans should lead to the achievement of PA goals.

• Ensure the abandonment of coal by 2030. By the same time, take all necessary measures to reach a plateau with a subsequent reduction in oil and gas production.

• Develop international initiatives and instruments to limit anthropogenic methane emissions.

• Develop transparent and effective rules for the Sustainable Development Mechanism of the PA (Article 6), eliminating double counting of emissions. We consider that the cross-country transfer of emission reduction units is not an effective tool for fulfilling the goals of the PA, as this solution substitutes for direct actions to reduce emissions. Adopt a universal taxonomy based on uniform principles that exclude projects for Article 6 purposes based on fossil fuels, nuclear and large river dam hydropower technologies, and solid municipal waste (SMW) incineration.

• End direct and hidden subsidies for non-renewable energy, while protecting the most vulnerable social groups and economic activities from possible increases in energy prices. Ensure that fossil fuel and energy producers take full responsibility for the damage they do to the planet’s environment and climate system.

• Redirect fossil fuel subsidies to support renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies and to reorient the economy toward a green course, especially in the countries most dependent on fossil fuels.

• Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) should not be a substitute for real action to reduce emissions and should be subject to market relations under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement (except Article 6.8 provisions on non-market sustainable development approaches for mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology transfer, and capacity building). The development of NBS projects must ensure the unconditional priority of conservation and restoration of natural ecosystems, primarily for adaptation to climate change and biodiversity conservation.

• In connection with the growing severity of the problem of natural and especially forest fires, especially in boreal and temperate forests, an international system for monitoring the areas of these fires, based on space imagery data, must be created by 2025. Its data should form the basis for internationally recognized assessments of wildfire areas and their impact on the climate-regulating role of boreal and temperate forests.

• Carbon Capture Storage measures should not replace, and should not be prioritized over: a) direct emission reduction measures and b) Nature-Based Solutions.

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We welcome actions under the National Climate Adaptation Plan in Russia and steps to develop a system of national regulation and reduction of GHG emissions, including the law on limiting GHG emissions" (FZ 296) and the draft Strategy for the Long-Term Development of Russia with Low-GHG Emissions up to 2050. So far, these steps are not enough to achieve the goals of the COPs, and we call for a strengthening of Russia’s contribution to meeting these goals:

• Adopt a national goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

• Adopt a 60% reduction goal from 1990 levels by 2030, excluding forest uptake.

• Adopt a separate goal to increase CO2 uptake by forests and other terrestrial ecosystems through conservation and restoration of natural ecosystems.

• Establish GHG emission reduction targets for sectors of the Russian economy with the distribution of GHG emission quotas among emitting enterprises.

• Develop a roadmap for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 that meets the challenges of the global energy

• Develop effective carbon regulation ("carbon fee") on the principle of payment and separate approach to GHG emissions and absorption, while ensuring protection from price increases for the most vulnerable social groups and economic activities.

• Adoption of a new version of the Comprehensive Plan of measures to improve the energy efficiency of the Russian economy, taking into account the priority of energy efficiency measures over the commissioning of new energy sources, adoption of the goal of reducing the energy intensity of Russian GDP by 60% by 2030, including targets by sectors, strengthening of state support for mass introduction of advanced energy-efficient technologies, including cogeneration, electrification of transport, increasing energy efficiency of buildings, the introduction of energy efficiency standards of at least class A for new buildings from 2023

• Create conditions for attracting small and medium businesses to RES development projects. Scale up the experience of grid microgeneration development. Provide conditions for the development of bioenergy based on organic waste from agriculture, forestry, and utilities.

• Ensure the priority of projects with a double effect - reduction of emissions and reduction of environmental pollution. Adopt mandatory rules to equip livestock farms with biogas stations for waste disposal and methane emission control, obliging grid companies to purchase energy from these stations as a priority.

• Support beneficial approaches with adaptation and emission reduction effects.

• No later than 2022, adopt a legislative and regulatory framework to eliminate logging in forested areas and forested areas - repositories of stored carbon in biomass.

• Introduce monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions from forest fires. Provide financial and human resources for effective prevention and control of catastrophic forest fires and review the current system of accounting for the effects of fires and forest losses.

• Amend legislation to create conditions for forest cultivation on agricultural land unsuitable for economically sustainable agriculture.

• Assess the socio-economic situation in regions dependent on fossil fuel extraction, develop plans for energy transition and diversification of the local economy, taking into account social protection of the population, retooling of enterprises, and retraining of personnel.

• Create infrastructure for priority hydrogen production through renewable energy. Abandon plans to create new infrastructure for hydrogen production from the nuclear generation or fossil gas.

• Provide conditions for dialogue with society on the development of climate solutions, public participation in decision-making and implementation. Integrate the topics of reducing the anthropogenic contribution to climate change into educational programs at all levels of the public education system, provide support for informal education of all population groups in responsible lifestyles to reduce human impact on the environment and the climate.

The statement is signed by 25 Russian NGOs.