Climate Change

• Main Authors: Renat Perelet, Serguey Pegov, Mikhail Yulkin
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2007
• Subjects: Arctic; Climate change; Tundra
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.422.5469; http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr2007-8/papers/Perelet_Renat_Pegov_Yulkin.pdf

Climate change has potential long-term effects on the living environment, especially in countries with large territories and long coastal line, such as Russia stretching from sunscorched pre-Caspian deserts to Arctic tundra and spanning 11 time zones (GMT+2 to GMT+12). The impact of climate change, including the adverse accompanying socioeconomic consequences of natural hazards, plays a conspicuous role in the spatial and economic development of this country. International significance of Russia's stance in regard to climate change is duly recognised worldwide. Russia's ratification, with its 17.4 % of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, of the Kyoto Protocol swiftly pushed its entering into force in February 2005. Annex B of this document set a limit to Russia's anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by the end of the Protocol first commitment period (2008-2012) at the level of country’s GHG emissions in 1990. This paper discusses climate change impact on Russia's economy, health and wellbeing of its people as well as its policies with a view to implementing its international commitments to the Kyoto Protocol and adapting to the new environment. In developing