Vadim Petrov, State Secretary of the National Committee for the UN Decade: Russia is a global climate donor as it has the largest ecosystem resources on the Earth

At the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) of the parties to the the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Brazil, Russia presented the world’s first target operating model for ecosystem restoration developed by the Russian businesses and the scientific community as part of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021 to 2030). Vadim Petrov, Deputy Director of the All-Russian Research Institute “Ecology”, the unified scientific center of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation, and State Secretary of the National Committee for the UN Decade, reported about this to TASS.
“Russia’s experience demonstrates that ecosystem restoration is not just a nature conservation measure, but rather one of the most effective climate policy tools in the 21st century. From a scientific perspective, ecosystem restoration is both mitigation and adaptation. According to estimates by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), nature restoration could provide up to a third of all the measures required for reducing the global emissions by 2030. Russia has proven in practice that this mechanism works, especially in the Arctic - the planet’s ‘weather kitchen’,” Petrov said.
According to him, Russia is a “climate donor” to the world as it has the largest ecosystem resources on the Earth and implements large-scale environmental projects, including in the Arctic conditions, where the pace of warming is several times higher than the global average. The scale of Russia’s contribution to the UN Decade is unparalleled among polar countries and is presented in the “Arctic Dossier” - the world’s first systematic report on ecosystem restoration in polar latitudes. 
The Arctic Dossier documents unprecedented results, including the building up of the largest network of specially protected natural areas (SPNAs) consisting of 40 federal SPNAs covering a total area of 39 million hectares, as well as about 200 regional and local SPNAs with a total area of over 86 million hectares. Furthermore, 85,000 tons of waste and scrap metal have been removed from the Arctic area, as well as an area of over 6,000 hectares of disturbed and damaged land have been reclaimed, and a permafrost monitoring system and AI technologies for biodiversity conservation have been implemented. 
The special focus in the presentation was on Russia’s target operating model for ecosystem restoration developed by the Arctic businesses in collaboration with the scientific community and government agencies. The model describes an integrated cycle of actions - from damage assessment to reclamation and full restoration of the area’s natural functions. According to the experts, this is a unique global experience that can be scaled up for other industries and regions. 
“The Arctic is a natural regulator of the planet’s climate. By preserving and restoring the Arctic area, Russia protects the climate on the Earth. Our experience is an example of how an ecosystem approach becomes a viable mechanism for sustainable development. The Russian business has pioneered a replicable, scientifically grounded system for managing the ecosystem restoration. We call international partners for a wide use of the system. Today, as the world seeks solutions to the climate crisis, Russia demonstrates that the way out lies through ecosystem restoration - from the Arctic to the tropics. This is the true mitigation - scientific, comprehensive, and viable,” Petrov concluded.