27 October, 2015

Agenda 21: Russia suggests to discuss boreal forests at a separate conference before COP21

According to the statements of Sergey Donskoy, the head of the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources, prior to the international conference in Paris, Russia is planning a separate conference in Moscow to discuss the role of boreal forests in the prevention of global warming. The largest mining and industrial companies, such as "Rusal", "Gazprom", "Lukoil", "Rosneft" and the Shell, as well as banking sector companies are listed among the participants of the conference. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has also mentioned the role of boreal forests as an important climate issue in his address to the Summit on the Global Agenda, urging the UN to establish a center for the planning, protection and restoration of forests.

According to the Ministry of Natural Resources, the conference will include Achim Steiner, the head of the UNEP Michel Jarraud, the Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organization, Li Yong, the director of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and others.

How boreal forests influence climate change?

The boreal forest is one of the largest ecosystems in the world, covering about 14% of the land. They create a green belt running along the Northern Hemisphere through Russia, Alaska, Canada and Scandinavia. One of the most important environmental factors for the boreal forest is the presence of snow cover in winter months. Snow protects the soil from hypothermia and creates an important animal and plant microclimate.

This type of forest mostly grows in Russia and Canada. It is a valuable source of timber and pure water. However, the most important thing is that boreal forests regulate the Earth's climate, playing an important role in the global carbon cycle.

Rising temperatures and the reduction of snow cover are the main threats for the boreal forest. Participants of the International Scientific Congress on Climate Change in Copenhagen concluded that if the temperature rises by more than 2 ° C, global society will not be able to control the processes of climate change. Other reputable organizations made a similar conclusion. As a result, it became one of the global strategic targets for the global warming prevention.

Source: ria.ru