On April 26-27, 2005, RAO UES will hold jointly with Carbon Fund a seminar on the Government Program on the Implementation of the Kyoto Protocol. AO MOSENERGO representatives will partake the event.

Representatives of Russian power companies, the State Duma, the Ministry of the Economic Development, the Ministry of Natural Resources, as well as foreign industrial and investment companies were invited to take part in the seminar. RAO UES will present its program for regulating and reducing the emission of greenhouse gases in 2005-06 at the seminar. The participants will discuss the tracking of emissions, quote trading, and requirements for projects aimed at the reduction of emissions.

The Kyoto Protocol for UN Framework Convention on Climate Change took force on February 16, 2005, after it had been ratified by Russia. This document establishes specific mechanisms for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, this protocol has been signed by 130 countries. They assumed the obligation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere by 5.2% until by 2012 as compared to 1990. At the same time, Kyoto Protocol contains a provision on the trading in emission quotes (countries with emissions that are lower than established quotes may sell their rights on emissions to countries with higher pollution levels). Thus, Russia is in an advantageous position. After 1998 economic crisis and the production slump, emissions in Russia fell by more than one-third. So, Russia will have only to keep emissions within 1990 limits while many other protocol participants will have to reduce them.

One of the main pollution sources in Russia is motor transport. For example, in Moscow region automobile emissions account for 80% of all pollutions. The share of electric utilities in total pollution does not exceed 5%. AO MOSENERGO continuously works to reduce negative ecological impact on the environment. None of AO MOSENERGO’s power stations exceeded any emission requirements in 2004. Last year, total emission volume at CHPs fell almost by 7.8% compared to 2003. In particular, sulphur dioxide emissions fell by more than 9%, nitrogen oxides (NO2)—by 7.3%, solid particles—by 17%. AO MOSENERGO’s electric power stations also produced less sulphur dioxide (by 33.3%), solid particles (by 31.7%) and nitrogen oxide (by 9.4%).