On December 14, the implementation of the program “Adaptation of Russian regions to climate change” was completed. The program was jointly implemented by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI) and the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics. Draft concepts for regional adaptation to climate change until 2030 were presented to the expert community.
Projects from 35 regions of the Russian Federation were presented. Regional teams included representatives of regional executive authorities, scientists, representatives of the business community and public organizations. The expert group of the program consisted of representatives of the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia, VEB RF, the Russian Energy Agency of the Ministry of Energy of Russia, the Center for Strategic Research, the All-Russian Society for Nature Conservation, the Institute of Economic Forecasting of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Yu. A. Israel Institute of Global Climate and Ecology.
The Udmurt Republic presented the project “Izhevsk Green Code” that was jointly developed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Udmurt Republic and the Udmurt State University. Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor, Director of the UdSU Institute of Civil Protection Irina L. Bukharina represented UdSU in the project team.
The project “Izhevsk Green Code” aims to improve the quality and stabilizing role of the city’s green areas. The project is based on the accumulated experience of the region and the UdSU scientific school in the field of green city construction, as well as developments and results obtained within the framework of the implementation of the strategic project “New quality of life: reports on modern bioecological challenges” under the programme Priority-2030.
The expected project outcomes are:
- monitoring of city's green spaces condition using GIS-technologies ;
- development of urban carbon balance map;
- implementation of 24 projects for landscaping areas with calculation of the carbon balance and the environment-stabilizing role of plants;
- increase by 25% of green areas for public use;
- production and planting of 1 million sustainable trees and shrubs grown using innovative technologies;
- development of recommendations for updating and maintaining green spaces to create a comfortable urban environment;
- adoption of the Regional Law on Green Spaces;
- establishment of three protected areas in the city of Izhevsk;
- creation of a research and production complex for growing plants of increased endurance for urban landscaping on the basis of the Udmurt State University and the "Directorate of Protected Natural Areas".
The project from Udmurtia received one of the highest ratings from the expert community. According to Irina Brinkova, an expert at the Institute of Sustainable Development of MGIMO of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this project is one of the most efficient practices of using city plantings as part of the provision of environmental services.
Maxim Yushchenko, Head of the Department for Elimination of Accumulated Environmental Damage (LNEU) of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise FEO of the State Atomic Energy Agency Rosatom, expressed his opinion on the need to replicate such practices and consolidate their use in regulatory documents.
Roman Golunov, Deputy Chairman of the Scientific Expert Council of the All-Russian Society for Nature Conservation, recommended bringing the project to the level of the Government of the Russian Federation.
Lyudmila Kozhanova, the Program Manager of the program “Adaptation of Russian regions to climate change”, recommended the project for participation in the competition to receive financial support from the Agency for Strategic Initiatives.
