The Second Meeting of Subgroup on Climate Change within the EU-Russia Dialogue on the Environment was held in Moscow at the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Roshydomet) on 18 April 2007. The Meeting was co-chaired by Arthur Runge-Metzger, Head of Unit of the DG Environment, European Commission, from the EU side and Victor Blinov, Head of the Department for Scientific Programmes, International Co-operation and Information Resources of Roshydromet, from the Russian side.

The Russian Federation was represented by experts from Roshydromet, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia, Ministry of Industry and Energy of Russia, Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Russia, Main Geophysical Observatory of Roshydromet, National Carbon Sequestration Foundation and Russian Regional Environmental Centre. Representatives of European Commission, German and British Embassies, DEFRA and Federal Environmental Agency of Germany took part on behalf of the European Union.

At the beginning of the Meeting the Protocol of the First Subgroup Meeting, which had been held at Roshydromet, Moscow, 15 December 2006, was signed by co-chairs. Information on the First Subgroup Meeting (in Russian) can be found at .

Subgroup co-chairs noted with satisfaction the successful practical implementation of the Subgroup 2007-2008 Working Plan adopted at the First Meeting. In particular, EU-Russia Joint Seminar on Post-2012 Action to Abate Climate Change, pursuant to Article 3.9 of the Kyoto Protocol, was held in Moscow at the German Embassy on 18 April 2007 on the threshold of the Second Meeting of the Subgroup.

Subgroup co-chairs emphasized the importance of conduction of such seminars for enhancement of bilateral co-operation. The second seminar on adaptation is going to be held in conjunction with the Third Meeting of the Subgroup on Climate Change in September 2007 and the third seminar on EU ETS – within the framework of the Fourth Subgroup Meeting in November 2007.

The sides discussed the results of the seminar at the Meeting, specifically the perspectives of possible post-2012 actions, and reconfirmed the necessity for engaging developing countries into global efforts in the post-Kyoto period.

The key issue of the Meeting was discusion of further advancement of a so-called Russian proposal on approval of voluntary commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for the Parties not included in Annex I to the UNFCCC (Russian proposal). The Russian side insisted on active assistance in its advancement to adoption from the European Union. The sides agreed on holding an additional meeting in the framework of the 26th Session of Subsidiary Bodies of the UNFCCC (SB-26) in Bonn, May 2007 (tentatively on 12 May 2007) in order to elaborate common position on this issue. European Commission was asked to prepare a presentation, covering EU position on adoption procedure of voluntary commitments, for SB-26 In-session Workshop on the Russian proposal.

In the frames of the Subgroup Meeting EU presented a report on recent European conferences (Water and Climate, Berlin, February 2007 and Communicating Climate Change, Brussels, February 2007). Under Subgroup’s decision, this report will be circulated among the Russian Federal Agencies.

Russian co-chair Victor Blinov noted that Roshydromet is conducting a number of investigations on adaptation mechanisms. For instance, a joint scientific work on enhancement of hydrometeorological security of Nizhegorodskaya Oblast had been held by Roshydromet, its regional subdivision and regional administration. The Russian side proposed to hold next Subgroup Meeting and seminar on adaptation in Nizhny Novgorod in order to share the experience and initiate further conduction of such investigations through the Subgroup.

In conclusion a representative of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia, on behalf of the Russian coordinator of the EU-Russia Dialogue on the Environment – Igor Maidanov, Director of the International Relations Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources, – informed the participants of the Meeting on results of the First Meeting of the Working Group and a positive response that Subgroup on Climate Change had received from the Working Group.

Information on the Second Meeting of Subgroup on Climate Change (in Russian) can also be found at .

Contact person of the Subgroup on Climate Change within the EU-Russia Dialogue on the Environment from the Russian side:
Elena Viculova – Leading Expert, Department for Scientific Programmes, International Co-operation and Information Resources of Roshydromet (phone: +7-495-255-2405, fax: +7-495-252-0708, e-mail: viculova@mcc.mecom.ru).

Contact person of the Working Group of the EU-Russia Dialogue on the Environment from the Russian side:
Nataliya Vavilova – Principal Expert, International Relations Department, Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia (phone: +7-495-254-5661, fax: +7-495-254-8283, e-mail: vavilova@mnr.gov.ru).

Julia Dobrolyubova
Expert on Climate Change and Kyoto Protocol