Russia Interested in UNIDO’s Experience in Adoption of ‘Green’ Technologies in the Industry

October 28, 2013

Russia is interested in UNIDO’s experience in adoption of ‘green’ technologies in the industry, said Rinat Gizatulin, deputy minister of natural resources and environment, at the meeting with Li Yong, Director General of UNIDO.

He congratulated Mr. Yong with assumption of the office and mentioned the successful development of the cooperation with the United Nations Industrial Development Organizations (UNIDO). The most active work is carried out as part of projects on regulation and reduction of ozone-depleting substances emissions, specifically, the project on the HCFCs phase out that ensures fulfilling Russia’s commitments under the Montreal Protocol and aims at eliminating HCFCs in the foam production and refrigeration engineering sectors by 2015.

The project on environmentally safe regulation and liquidation of equipment and materials containing polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) at facilities of OAO Russian Railways and other users is promising to go large scale. This project provides for a package of measures on improving the ecological legislation of Russia to adjust it with requirements of the Stockholm convention on persistent organic pollutants.

According to the UNIDO Director General, it is especially important that such an innovative approach to PCB will gain widespread not only in Russia, but in CIS countries, too.

The cooperation of UNIDO and Carlsberg company, owner of Baltika brewing company, in the area of minimizing adverse effect on the environment can be a good example of the use of private-public partnership. According to Mr. Gizatulin, UNIDO’s experience will be needed for the implementation of the Saint-Petersburg initiative which will operate as a private-public partnership for the development of the across-the-border cooperation and economically feasible actions and projects for the benefit of the Baltic region.

“UNIDO is one of the largest international organizations paying serious attention to the protection of the environment,” said Mr. Gizatulin.

He informed visitors on the review of the Russian environmental legislation aimed at minimizing adverse effect on the environment and being an element of Russia’s efforts on joining OECD. “We expect the global experience gained by UNIDO would help us materialize elaborated draft laws, OECD recommendations and resolutions of the Stockholm converntion,” said Mr. Gizatulin.

He also highlighted high interest that Russia has in studying UNIDO projects dedicated to adoption of ‘green’ technologies in the industry, and put forward an initiative to establish in Russia, basing on the UNIDO’s potential, a center of innovative and ‘green’ technologies and promote environmental projects in the industry and small and medium business, for further improvement of environmental conditions in the country.

Li Yong said that UNIDO and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation had already worked together in 30 projects: “The success of these projects convinces us in the future fruitful cooperation, including promotion of the concept of ‘clean’ and innovative production.” Having supported the idea of creating a center of innovative and ‘green’ technologies, Mr. Yong promised to consider the possibility of using potential of the UNIDO Centre for International Industrial Cooperation.

Source: RosInvest.Com