Comedy Gold! Russia Claims It's Preparing To Join Paris Accord, Because Jobs

[hatrack]

As President Trump claimed credit Monday for rescuing the U.S. economy from the "very, very expensive" Paris Agreement, 5,000 miles away Russia was beginning the process of joining the climate accord after its manufacturers warned that staying out would damage their global competitiveness. In the end, Russia could enter the climate agreement for the same reasons that Trump is quitting it — the economy.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Gordeyev tasked the natural resources and foreign affairs ministries with preparing a bill by Sept. 1 that would let Russia join 185 other countries in the Paris accord. The ratification process formally began early this week and will require approval from both the Russian government and parliament. The goal is for Russia to ratify the deal by Sept. 23, when world leaders meet in New York City for the United Nations secretary-general's summit on climate change.

Gordeyev — who serves under Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in a headquarters called the White House — posted a statement on a Russian government website Friday in which he stressed that the decision was made for economic reasons.

"Global climatic changes are taking place in the world, which have a significant effect on economic issues," it reads. "The advanced countries are gradually switching to a low-carbon development model by continuously monitoring and encouraging a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in various sectors."

EDIT

https://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2019/07/10/stories/1060718231

[SamKnause]

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