Russia pledges 25 percent emissions cut by 2020

STOCKHOLM - Russia aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 25 percent below the 1990 level by 2020, President Dmitry Medvedev told an EU-Russia summit here Thursday.

Speaking after the summit in Stockholm, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso welcomed Russia’s commitment.

“I very much welcome the signal from President Medvedev today of the proposed emissions reduction target of 25 percent. This is indeed very encouraging,” he said.

A member of the Russian delegation said that Russia also aims to improve energy efficiency in industry by 40 percent.

Russia’s carbon emissions remain well below the 1990 level, due to the collapse of fuel-intensive heavy industries that followed the breakup of the Soviet Union.

However, the country’s emissions have been steadily rising in recent years, and at the current rate are expected to be 15 percent below the 1990 level by 2020.

Earlier on Thursday, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, whose country holds the European Union (EU) presidency, said Russia has the potential to do more to reduce its emissions.

–RIA Novosti