E3G

Reuters: Russian climate plans show tough path to UN treaty

By Nick Mabey

Alister Doyle of Reuters looks at the importance of recent reports that Russia would not accept new binding caps on emissions under a new global climate deal:

His article includes insights from climate scientist Bill Hare and the view of the European Commission, as well as this pithy statement from our own Nick Mabey:

Analysts say Moscow’s position may be an opening salvo. “You have to take the Russian position with a pinch of salt,” said Nick Mabey, head of London-based environmental think-tank E3G.

“They have a falling population so the pressure on emissions is much lower than in the United States where population is rising,” he said. “And the Russians still have a lot of potential for energy savings.”