Russia's East Siberia Could Become Carbon-Free Zone

Carbon emissions might become a thing of the past in Russia's region of East Siberia, according to the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — In February, Russian Presidential Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev instructed Russia's Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Ministry of Energy to prepare proposals based on the results of the 21st UN Climate Change Conference that took place from November 30 to December 12, 2015, in Paris.

"The implementation of a pilot project to transform East Siberia into a carbon-free zone could become a part of the implementation of the long-term development strategy," Sergei Donskoy wrote in a letter obtained by RIA Novosti.

He added that the region could be transformed into carbon-free area through the use of renewable energy sources and the introduction of a "carbon" tax.

According to the Russian Energy Ministry, the project may encounter difficulties due to the fact that East Siberia is a major coal-mining region and coal-fueled thermal electric power stations play a significant role in generating both electricity and heat in the region.

On December 12, about 200 countries signed an agreement in Paris to cut greenhouse emissions and limit rises in average global temperatures.