ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE: WHERE WE ARE NOW AND WHERE WE WILL BE IN TWO OR THREE DECADES SITUATION IN RUSSIA

The article is the second of the two contributions based upon the authors' studies and reports provided to Horizon-2040. It attempts to project the issues of global environmental and climate changes tackled in the previous paper on the situation in Russia. The most important challenges both existing now and assumed to exacerbate in the coming decades in environmental and climate change areas are contemplated. These include: air pollution and the quality of life of the population in cities; water resources and drinking water quality deterioration; biodiversity crisis and the state of specially protected areas. Also considered are climate change implications including basic trends, forcast scenario assessment and the effects on human health and economic activities. Key directions and priorities of the national environmental and climate policy, as well as recommendations on the long-term strategies to reduce climatic and environmental hazards to sustainable development are substantiated.