No-one can say with certainty what causes climate change, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday, questioning scientists’ near consensus on human responsibility.
"No-one knows the causes of global climate change. We do know that our earth has experienced periods of warming and cooling, and that may depend on processes in the universe," he said yesterday at his annual press conference.
"A small variation in the angle of the Earth’s rotation around the sun can entail — and has done so in the past – colossal climate changes with dramatic consequences," the Russian Head of State added.
Putin affirmed that "it is very difficult, if not impossible to assess the possible influence of contemporary mankind on climate."
However, he reiterated both his country’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and its respect of the Paris climate agreement.
"Doing nothing is not a solution, and I agree with my colleagues (Heads of State) on this point. We must make every effort to ensure that climate does not change dramatically," he said.
He nevertheless noted that Russia is particularly vulnerable to warming. "This is a very serious process for us (...) Entire cities are built on permafrost. Imagine the consequences" in the event of massive melting, he underlined.
This is not the first time that the Russian President suggests that human activity is not the main cause of climate change.
Head of a State that is a large oil producer, he also warned against appeals heard in November, in particular, in Europe, to abandon fossil fuels.
"When such proposals are being defended, it would seem that humanity can just go back to living in caves because it will no longer consume anything," he said.
The Brussels Times
