Belarus

Belarus ratified the UNFCCC in 2000 and the Kyoto Protocol in 2005. It submitted its first National Communication to the UNFCCC in 2003, followed by communications in 2006, 2009 and 2013. The next communication is being prepared. For the second Kyoto Protocol commitment period (2012-2020), Belarus committed to cut emissions by 8% compared to 1990, which was later increased to 12%. It has also initiated a process to join the Annex B of the Kyoto Protocol in order to become eligible for carbon emission trading.

So far, meeting international commitments for emissions reductions has not been particularly challenging. In 2011, total GHG emissions were 37.3% lower than in 1990 (base year). GHG emissions are reported annually in the National GHG Inventory, which is being progressively improved following recommendations by the UNFCCC Secretariat.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection is responsible for implementing the UNFCCC. The State Commission on Climate Change co-ordinates the work of other state administration bodies (Department for Energy Efficiency of the State Standardisation Committee, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Housing and Communal Services, Ministry of Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Ministry of Economy, National Statistical Committee) and other state organisations.

Climate change is only one among many environmental challenges that Belarus faces, including water quality, soil degradation, waste management, nature protection, industrial pollution and radioactive contamination from the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986. Climate change is mainly considered from the energy savings and security perspective, and adaptation measures are starting to be discussed, with forecasts predicting climate change impacts increasing risks in agriculture, forestry and water resources management.

To respond to international obligations under the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol, Belarus has been updating its National programme on climate change mitigation measures (latest for 2013-2020). Furthermore, a ‘Climate Protection Act’ is currently under consideration (since 2010). The Act should aggregate different provisions for control and accounting of GHG emissions, economic incentives for GHG emissions reduction and investment in low-carbon technologies, determination of ownership rights in regard to carbon credits, and legal framework for carbon emissions trading. Belarus is also expected to adopt an integrated environmental permitting scheme starting 2016, which should also reflect GHG emissions.

International development assistance plays an important role in providing support for green growth and facilitating green investments. The EU, UN bodies, the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) support measures related to energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainable agriculture/land management. Several climate change related international projects are currently being implemented, such as the ‘Social Infrastructure Retrofitting’ project funded through a World Bank loan aimed at increasing energy efficiency of 550 public sites (schools, preschools, hospitals, homes for elderly); the World Bank ‘Belarus Biomass District Heating Project’ (2014-2019; USD 90 million) aimed at scaling up the efficient use of renewable biomass in heat and electricity generation in selected towns.

On the local level, municipal authorities are responsible for energy management (e.g. energy efficient refurbishment of buildings and introduction of energy-efficient public lighting). They are also mandated by the Law on Energy Savings to prepare municipal energy efficiency plans.

Finally, the Strategy of Technological Development to 2015 (2010) defines energy, energy efficiency, transport and the development of green and eco-technologies as the main priority areas for scientific research.

Energy supply

The economy has high energy intensity. The primary energy mix is mainly fossil fuels (natural gas – 63%, oil – 29%, coal and peat <10%). Between 1990 and 2012, natural gas became the dominant source of energy, replacing oil residue and decreasing coal use. Wood and wood waste are the main local energy sources, with a considerable volume of peat and peat bricks used for energy supply. Since 2000, Belarus has been developing renewable energy sources (solar, hydro, wind, biomass; around 7% in 2013, compared to 6.6% in 2005). In 2013, Belarus had 277 renewable energy plants in operation, including 14 biogas, 14 solar, 3 geothermal, 199 wood and other types of biomass, 40 hydro and 7 wind power plants with a total installed capacity of 397.6 MW.

Despite the increasingly diverse domestic primary energy production, Belarus produces only 14% of its total primary energy demand, and around 15% of its oil and gas consumption. It is  heavily dependent on fossil fuels imports from Russia. Before escalation of conflict with Russia over gas transit, most of the demand was satisfied by Russian imports at discounted prices, often viewed as an implicit subsidy for the economy. Since 2004, Russia has been reducing this implicit subsidy by narrowing the gap between prices charged to Belarus and the EU.

The main energy supply targets are formulated in the Energy Security Concept (2007), the Law on Renewable Energy Sources (2010) and the Law on Use of Nuclear Power (2008). The key targets relate to energy independence and development of renewable energy. The National Program of Local and Renewable Energy Sources Development (2011) sets out the target of no less than 30% of domestic energy production by 2015, with an almost twofold increase by 2015 in the use of local and renewable energy sources compared to 2010 (to 5.7 million toe) and substitution of up to 2.4 billion cubic meters of imported natural gas. This target is to be reached by installing by 2015 heat and power generation facilities using wood/straw/municipal waste fuel (49 MW- electrical, 1063 MW – thermal), biogas (90 MW), wind (460MW), solar (172 solar water heater and solar power plants), and heat pumps (8.9 MW), as well as construction and rehabilitation of hydropower plants (102 MW).

Energy demand

Belarus aims to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and to promote energy efficiency, especially in the power sector (power production sites and high power consumption industries account for about 65% of CO2e emissions). Thanks to structural changes, the emissions reductions could be achieved at a lower cost than developed countries.

The main energy efficiency and savings targets are defined in the Law on Energy Savings, the Concept on Energy Security, the Law on Renewable Energy Sources and Directive No.3 on Economy and Savings as the Main Factors of the Economic Security of the State. A reduction in energy intensity of 50% by 2015 and 60% by 2020 compared to 2005 is targeted. Planned energy savings are at least 7.1 – 8.9 million tons of coal equivalent over 2011-2015 and at least 5.2 million tons of coal equivalent over 2016-2020.

Carbon pricing

In 2010, Belarus established the rules for carbon pricing through a voluntary GHG emissions reduction scheme under the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol. The Decree allows for non-nationals to buy voluntary GHG emissions reduction units. The revenues from the sale of GHG emissions reduction units are allocated to the National Fund for the Protection of the Environment and are to be specifically dedicated to climate change mitigation measures, strengthening institutions, developing a national inventory and reporting system, support for low-carbon research and training and education. Organisations carrying out the projects benefit from tax exemptions equal to the value of purchased emissions reduction units.

REDD+ and LULUCF

Belarus has a high potential for carbon sequestration, as forests cover about 40% of its territory. Approaches to sustainable forestry management are stipulated in the Strategic Forestry Development Program of the Republic of Belarus for 2011-2015 (2010), but the document does not directly address climate change-related aspects. However, it provides for reforestation of land withdrawn from agricultural use because of low productivity or contamination due to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant catastrophe (originally 1.8 million ha agricultural and more than 2 million ha forest were subject to radioactive contamination).

In general, forests and land suffer from pressures such as radioactive and chemical pollution, construction, mining, forest and peat fires, flooding and waterlogging, excessive recreational loads, and water and wind erosion leading to land degradation. To deal with those risks, a Strategy for Forestry Adaptation to Climate Change until 2050 is currently being prepared.

Adaptation

Belarus has witnessed an unparalleled warming since 1989, with a sharp increase in winter temperatures and average temperatures between 1989 and 2012 1.1°C higher than the climate norm (5.8°C yearly average). Climate change is expected to affect Belarus primarily through an increase in extreme weather events such as floods and droughts. This requires disaster risk reduction measures and adaptation plans to be developed and implemented. The most vulnerable sectors to climate change are agriculture, forestry, industry, energy and housing.

Belarus has no overarching adaptation strategy although an adaptation strategy plan is under preparation, but adaptation measures are prescribed in various legal documents, such as the National Programme for the Development of Forestry of Belarus for 2011-2015, and the National Programme on climate change mitigation measures for 2013-2020.