President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia announced a plan on Friday to increase greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2020, which is a significant increase from Russia's emissions in 1990. This plan aims to reduce emissions by 10-15 percent from the levels seen when Russia was part of the Soviet Union. Environmentalists, including WWF spokesman Alexey Kokorin, criticized the plan as inadequate and falling short of expectations from developing countries. Medvedev's announcement is seen as a starting point for United Nations negotiations aimed at establishing a new climate treaty in December to replace the Kyoto Protocol. During the ongoing discussions, wealthy nations are expected to present their mid-term emission reduction goals. Russia, the final major country to do so, has faced pressure from environmental organizations and developing nations to decrease emissions by 25-40 percent compared to 1990 levels. Russian President Medvedev stated that by 2020, emissions could be reduced by 10-15 percent, according to remarks provided by the Kremlin. The Kremlin's chief economic adviser, Arkady Dvorkovich, later clarified that the reduction would be measured from 1990 levels, prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union and Russia's heavy industry. Since then, Russia's carbon emissions have increased again due to its industrial growth, solidifying its position as the third largest polluter in the world after China and the United States. President Medvedev stated that the target set on Friday requires a reduction of 30 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases from 1990 to 2020, which means Russia is expected to emit around 3 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas in 2020, up from 2.2 billion tonnes in 2007. Medvedev emphasized that they will not compromise their development potential. Under the Kyoto Protocol, Russia is obligated to bring its emissions back to 1990 levels by 2008-12. Green groups and developing countries were disappointed by Japan's recent proposals for a 2020 target, which were not much stricter than its Kyoto Protocol goal. They were also unimpressed by Russia's announcement last Friday. Medvedev emphasized the importance of all countries taking responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions, with Dvorkovich later adding that Russia needs to find a balance between addressing climate change and meeting economic growth goals. Experts view the goal set on Friday as the initial move in a series of intense negotiations over the next six months, with the ultimate aim of reaching a new climate agreement in Copenhagen later this year. Nina Korobova, who heads the Russian operations of Global Carbon, a clean energy project developer, believes that while it is a positive first step, other countries may push for greater emissions reductions from Russia, leading to further discussions. She is optimistic that Russia could achieve a 20 percent reduction by 2020, even in worst-case scenarios. Under Vladimir Putin's previous presidency, Russian officials had refused to commit to mandatory emissions cuts, citing concerns about the impact on the country's middle class and industrial development.