LOW-CARBON DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY OF RUSSIA AND THE ROLE OF FORESTS IN ITS IMPLEM ENTATION

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to assess forest’s role in the low-carbon development strategy of the Russian Federation (LDS). The LDS approved at the end of 2021 and the operational plan for implementation of the LDS (OP LDS) prepared in February-March 2022, make a key bet on increasing forest absorption in process of decarbonization in Russia. Our study showed that some provisions of the OP LDS, and especially the amendments prepared by the Ministry of Natural Resources to the Forest Code for implementation of climate projects, significantly, by hundreds of millions of tons of CO2 eq per year, reduce the potential of Russian forests in the implementation of LDS.