Putin Decree Empowers Russia To Increase Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new decree that allows the country to raise its greenhouse gas emissions over the next decade, drawing criticism from environmental groups and climate policy experts.

The decree, signed on Tuesday, instructs the Russian government to ensure that emissions by 2035 do not exceed 65–67% of the country’s 1990 levels.

While the Kremlin framed the move as part of its ongoing alignment with the Paris Agreement, the target allows Russia’s annual emissions to rise to around 2 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent approximately 20 to 22 percent higher than current levels.

Russia’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2021 were around 1.7 billion tons, meaning the new target effectively permits an increase rather than a reduction in absolute terms.

Critics argue that the baseline year of 1990 which marked the peak of Soviet-era industrial activity allows the government to appear committed to emissions reduction while doing little to curb pollution in practice.

Analysts also noted that Russia’s emissions dropped significantly in the early 1990s not due to climate policies, but because of the post-Soviet economic collapse.

The decree has sparked concern from climate experts who warn that Russia’s emissions trajectory remains incompatible with global efforts to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C. The Climate Action Tracker, an independent scientific analysis organization, rates Russia’s climate targets and policies as “critically insufficient.”

Russia is currently the world’s fourth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, and its economy remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels.

The government has shown little political will to transition away from oil and gas, and has often portrayed Arctic warming as an economic opportunity rather than a climate emergency.

The new decree reaffirms Russia’s commitment to the Paris Agreement on paper, but environmental observers say the move highlights the country’s continued reluctance to adopt more ambitious climate action.