Intended Nationally Determined Contributions of the Republic of Belarus.

This Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) of Belarus is presented in accordance with decision 1/CP.20 UNFCCC "Lima call for action to address climate change". It is a multi-sectoral policy document. In order to contribute to the prevention of dangerous climate change, the Republic of Belarus submits its intended nationally determined contribution to these efforts and undertakes by 2030 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 28 per cent of the 1990 level, excluding emissions and removals in the land use, land-use change and forestry sector and without any additional conditions ( the commitments do not imply the use of the international carbon market mechanisms or mobilizing foreign financial resources for the implementation of best available technologies). Forestry and agriculture are the sectors most vulnerable to climate change in The Republic of Belarus. Considering the significant influence of climate change on the sustainable development of the economy, and the well-being and health of the population of the country, the Republic of Belarus is formulating national policy on the adaptation to climate change through the elaboration of national strategies, sector-specific and regional programs and plans for adaptation to climate change and their subsequent implementation.
Target type (commitment) shall be absolute reduction of greenhouse gas emissions compared to the emissions in the base year. Year 1990 is chosen as the base year for determining quantifiable greenhouse gas emission reduction target. The same year was also adopted by the Republic of Belarus as the reference point when undertaking greenhouse gas emission commitments as part of previous international agreements on climate change. To obtain data on greenhouse gas emissions in the base year, the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory of 2012 was used. According to these data, greenhouse gas emissions in 1990 were 139,151.23 thousand tons in CO2 eq., excluding the land use, land-use change and forestry sector. In contrast to the scenarios based on the existing development programs, which imply reductions of emissions by 20-22% in 2030 as compared to the base year, according to some estimates it is possible to achieve an additional reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of approximately 25-30 million tons of CO2-eq. during the period of 2015-2030, and the Republic of Belarus includes this possibility in its commitments. These commitments rely solely on the internal potential of the country and are taken without any additional conditions regarding possible mobilization of foreign funds for the implementation of best available technologies.
The scope of commitments shall be applicable to the following sectors: (a) power industry; (b) industrial processes; (c) use of solvents; (d) agriculture; and (e) waste. These commitments include the following greenhouse gases: (a) carbon dioxide (CO2); (b) methane (CH4); (c) nitrous oxide (N2O); (d) hydro fluorocarbons (HF Cs); (e) perfluorocarbons (PF Cs); and (f) sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).
In 2016-2019, the legislative basis for the new national climate policy will be elaborated along with the programs for the development of major economic activities for the period of 2021-2030, including measures regulating and stimulating the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Due to planned actions to ensure sustainable forest management, the forest cover of the country increased by 4.3% since 1990, and currently is continuing to grow. According to the sector-specific forestry development program, the policy for increasing the resource potential of forests and ensuring the sustainable forest use will be further implemented. In line with the priorities of the National Sustainable Development Strategy of the Republic of Belarus until 2030, measures will be implemented to increase the area under forest from 39.4% in 2013 up to 41% in 2030. Republic of Belarus in 2015-2030 will ensure the environmental rehabilitation of at least 10,000 ha of damaged bogs, thus increasing the area of restored peatlands to at least 60,000 ha by 2030 and reducing the area of degraded reclaimed land with peat soils up to 190,000 ha by 2030. Republic of Belarus will undertake measures to conserve the main habitats of the populations of rare and endangered wild animals and plant species living or growing in wetlands, involving an area of at least 30,000 ha of open fen mires, 40,000 ha of floodplain meadows and 160,000 ha of raised bogs and transitional mires. Efforts will be made to ensure further conservation of natural ecosystems, biological and landscape diversity, ensuring ecological balance of natural systems and sustainable use of protected areas covering at least 8.8% of the territory of the country.