Climate change challenges Russia
Climate change will have significant negative consequences for the Russian population as well as the country’s social and economic activities, a new Russian climate report reads. Russia must now increase energy saving and turn more towards alternative energy sources, the researchers argue.
It the most comprehensive Russian climate report ever, researchers from the Russian Service of Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring outline a broad specter of consequences of climate change for Russia.
The report concludes that climate change threatens to turn current permafrost areas into huge mud dumps with subsequent threats against infrastructure installations like houses, communication lines and oil and gas pipelines. It will also increase the frequency of extreme weather conditions like strong winds, flooding and draught.
All of these factors will cause significant negative consequences for the population as well as social and economic activities, the report concludes. Also considerable changes are expected to take place in the country’s natural ecosystems.
However, the report also states that climate change will also give certain benefits for the country, among them the moving of the comfortable habitation zone northwards and improved farming potential in several region. Also the possibilities for Russian shipping and offshore industrial projects in the Arctic will be enhanced, the report reads.
The researchers stress that it is necessary for Russia to strengthen studies aimed at the development of technologies contributing to reduction of climate change. Russians must also increase energy saving and turn more to renewable energy sources. In addition carbon dioxide capture and storage technologies must be developed, they argue.
The Service of Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring now calls for the publishing of climate reports on a regular basis which will support proper planning and implementation of national climate policies.
