Social Forum on Energy Efficiency and Climate Change (March 23, 2010. Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation, Moscow)

    Priority areas for discussion, the Forum: «Climate Change: Facts and Russia’s participation in its decision», «The practice of energy conservation: the regional experience», «Energy Efficiency and education for sustainable development», «Sustainable environmental management: a regional experience and best practices».

    With the installation Presentations A.A. Averchenkov (UNDP), S.A. Kokorin (WWF), I.P. Blokov (Greenpeace-Russia), S.N. Bobylev (Moscow State University), E.A. Zenutich (Russian Ministry of Energy) and A.M. Adam (Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Tomsk Region).

    Forum participants expressed concern about an increase in the negative anthropogenic impact, leading to climate change, increasing pollution and the associated deterioration of human health, environmental degradation, depletion of natural resources, realize the importance of energy efficiency for sustainable development and address the following suggestions.

Resolution

• The Russian government to ensure the commitment of business and the public to energy saving, to create the necessary conditions for the wide dissemination of renewable energy sources, the implementation of joint implementation projects, and the preparation of a national quota system and greenhouse gas emissions trading.
• Ensure the development of international and national mechanisms of compensation for environmental services in order to preserve global and national natural resources, including forests, water-swamp grounds, etc.
• Ensure the engagement of people at large in the implementation of energy-saving and hazardous emissions-reducing measures, as well as in the use of renewable energy sources.
• Promote the development of the Youth for Energy Efficiency movement.
• Conduct educational activities for the public with regard to climate problems and the implementation of the Climate Doctrine.
• Develop a program of reducing negative impacts of pollution and climate change on human health.
• The Russian government to ensure the country’s active participation in talks on the development of international cooperation in the sphere of energy efficiency, climate change prevention, and sustainable use of natural resources.
• Conduct the next meeting of the Social Forum in the fall of 2010.
• Consider the Social Forum as a platform for pooling the efforts of representatives of civil society, scientific community, and business and as a ground for constructive international cooperation and propose that all interested organizations and individuals associate themselves with the forum’s work.