Kremlin Rebuffs Biden Criticism on Climate
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov affirmed that Russia has taken a "very responsible" stance on climate change.
The Kremlin rejected US President Joe Biden's criticism of President Vladimir Putin's absence from the COP26 summit on Wednesday, stressing that Moscow is serious about climate change.
"We disagree."
That is what Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov replied when asked about Biden's accusation that China and Russia were failing to show leadership on climate change.
"We are certainly not minimizing the importance of the event in Glasgow, but Russia's actions are consistent and thoughtful and serious," he added.
Biden on Tuesday criticized Putin for not attending the conference, saying: "His tundra is burning -- literally, the tundra is burning. He has serious, serious climate problems, and he is mum on willingness to do anything."
According to Peskov, Moscow is well aware of the effects of climate change and is facing "More serious challenges" than other countries.
"The tundra really is on fire. But let's not forget that forests are burning in California, forests are burning in Turkey, and in other countries," he said.
Russia, according to Peskov, has taken a "very responsible" stance on climate change, with long-term plans to reduce emissions and diversify energy sources.
He claimed that when he spoke, Biden was unaware of these plans and that when the two leaders meet again, "President Putin will have a great opportunity to tell President Biden what we are doing on the climate."
Putin stated last month that Russia, the world's fourth-largest carbon emitter, aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.
Key Players in COP26
The different interests of the 197 members of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, make establishing a consensus on the next actions to combat global warming a difficult task. Here are some of the major players in the COP26.