Russia’s Inclusion of Occupied Ukrainian Territories in Greenhouse Gas Inventory Draws Protests at COP29 Summit
In a controversial move, Russia has included the territories it occupies in Ukraine in its recent greenhouse gas inventory report to the United Nations. This decision has sparked protests from Ukrainian officials and activists at the COP29 climate summit.
The timing of this move is significant, as Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly considering peace deal negotiations with incoming U.S. President Donald Trump. These negotiations could have far-reaching implications for the territories in question.
Ukraine’s Deputy Environment Minister Olga Yukhymchuk has expressed concerns about Russia’s actions, stating that they are using international platforms to legitimize their occupation of Ukrainian territory. She has reached out to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to address the dispute.
The crux of the issue lies in Russia’s National Inventory Report of greenhouse gas emissions for 2022, where they cited a lack of baseline data for the territories of the Donetsk People’s Republic, Luhansk People’s Republic, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions. This has raised fears of double-counting emissions over territories larger than Portugal and Azerbaijan combined.
Experts like Nikki Reisch and Christina Voigt have weighed in on the situation, highlighting the potential legal implications of Russia’s reporting on Ukraine’s emissions. Voigt specifically mentioned that claiming emissions from annexed lands as their own could violate international law and sovereignty.
Overall, Russia’s controversial inclusion of occupied Ukrainian territories in its greenhouse gas inventory report has sparked concerns about the integrity of global climate efforts. The outcome of this dispute could have significant repercussions for international climate agreements and carbon markets.