Sakhalin Sets a Precedent as Russias First Carbon-Neutral Region

The Sakhalin region in the Russian Far East has become the first area in the nation to achieve carbon neutrality, as announced by the Ministry of Economic Development over the weekend.

Initiated in 2022, Sakhalin’s climate initiative aimed to reach carbon neutrality by the end of 2025. This program saw the participation of 35 major companies, which collectively promised a 2% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. It incorporated various strategies, such as carbon quotas, a cap-and-trade system, transitioning from coal to gas for heating, increased use of renewable energy, and enhancing forest carbon capture.

“Sakhalin has reached carbon neutrality,” said Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov during a forum in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk on Saturday.

Governor Valery Limarenko remarked that the region has become the first in Russia where greenhouse gas absorption surpasses emissions.

“Thanks to this initiative, Sakhalin is now a region characterized by clean air, distinctive wildlife, and a high quality of life,” he stated.

The Ministry of Economic Development credited the program for doubling air quality, reducing particulate pollution by a factor of five, and decreasing the area affected by forest fires by tenfold.

Reshetnikov noted that the next objective is to ensure the region sustains this balance in the long run, adding that other regions wishing to emulate the program would receive government assistance.

He also emphasized the potential of this initiative to enhance the international competitiveness of Sakhalin’s low-carbon industries, which include aluminum, petrochemicals, fertilizers, lithium, and energy from nuclear, hydropower, and renewable sources.

The Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development of Sakhalin announced that the neutrality goal was reached a year ahead of schedule, with the pilot program set to continue until 2028.

However, some critics argue that the initiative has been undermined by enforcement deficiencies and compromises that raise concerns about its scalability.

Russia, a leading global emitter of greenhouse gases and a significant energy exporter, aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 and to reduce emissions by 30% from 1990 levels by 2030, as outlined in its official climate policy. Moscow claims to have already met this target, citing a more than 50% decrease in emissions as of 2020.

Nevertheless, while the country is already experiencing the impacts of climate change, the topic remains largely ignored in Russian politics, media, and education.