DUBAI: Andrey Melnichenko, Chairman of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs’ Committee on Climate Policy and Carbon Regulation, highlighted the Pleistocene Park project, a 25-year experiment by Russian scientists to restore high-productivity grazing ecosystems in the Arctic, similar to the once-dominant mammoth steppe.
In statements to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) on the sidelines of COP28, Melnichenko spoke about the impactful work of the Andrey Melnichenko Foundation during the global event.
‘The Pleistocene Park project is essentially a proof of concept, an experiment, that has been conducted by Russian scientists for the last 25 years in the Arctic,’ Melnichenko said.
Pleistocene Park is more than just a revival of a lost ecosystem; it’s a model for ‘Nature-based Solutions’ to address climate change.
‘We have discovered that in addition to restoring the biological system, this project can be used as an effective way to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere,’ Melni
chenko added.
The Andrey Melnichenko Foundation is actively exploring the potential of Nature-based Solutions through various projects, including, planting forests, preventing forest fires, watering peatlands, and permafrost projects. These projects are currently being implemented in Kenya and the Russian Federation, with plans to expand to other countries.
‘At the same time, we’re working on creating a market for these projects,’ Melnichenko continued.
Melnichenko emphasised the urgency of addressing climate change, highlighting the disproportionate role of natural emissions. ‘The surface of our planet emits 860 gigatons of greenhouse gases in CO2 equivalent. At the same time, human emissions, so-called anthropogenic, associated with the burning of fossil fuels, the use of vehicles and so on are only 56 gigatons. In other words, the emissions from the human activity represents only 6% of total emissions,’ he stated.
He added that a staggering 94% of emissions are related to natural sources.
‘The world i
s now moving towards the need to reduce these emissions. Paris Agreement set ambitious goals, which, unfortunately, are not being met,’ he added.
Melnichenko stressed the importance of innovative solutions like Nature-based Solutions. ‘It seems to me that Nature-based solutions could be an additional important tool that can contribute to the achievement of these goals.’
Melnichenko expressed his satisfaction with the results of COP28. ‘Our projects have attracted a lot of interest for those who have seen the pavilion and those who haven’t seen it.’
He concluded by noting the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing in addressing the global climate crisis.
‘The goal of any conference is to see what others are doing and suggest what you can do,’ he said.
By investing in Nature-based Solutions, the Andrey Melnichenko Foundation is demonstrating its commitment to finding innovative and effective solutions to climate change.
Source: Emirates News Agency