A new report by Rosgidromet, Russia's federal service for hydrometeorology, has found that the country is warming at twice the rate of the global average, reports Vedomosti on October 2. 

The data shows that Russia's territory has seen an increase in average temperatures of around 0.5°C per decade, nearly double the global rate of warming. This alarming trend is expected to intensify in the coming years, with both short- and long-term consequences for the country.

“Territory of the country warms almost twice as fast as the rest of the planet,” the report noted, underlining the scale of the issue. Since the 1980s, every decade has been warmer than the previous one, with nine of the ten hottest years occurring in the 21st century alone.

Changes in temperature have been accompanied by shifts in other climate characteristics. These include altered precipitation patterns, shrinking snow cover, and modifications in river flow patterns. “In Russia, we are seeing an increase in precipitation of around 2.2% every decade since 1976,” the report states. The increase is especially pronounced during the winter months.

The report emphasises the growing impact of extreme weather events, which have become more frequent due to climate change. According to Rosgidromet, Russia has experienced more intense and irregular rainfall in recent years, with the southern regions of the country witnessing particularly severe droughts and floods.

This warming trend has vast implications for Russia's natural ecosystems, with Arctic areas – already fragile – at greatest risk. The melting of permafrost in Siberia threatens infrastructure and poses additional challenges to local economies reliant on agriculture, mining, and energy production.

“The global problem of climate change fully affects Russia,” the report concludes. The Russian government, represented by its climate envoy Ruslan Edelgeriev, has pledged to continue contributing to international efforts to mitigate climate change. Edelgeriev highlighted the need for "pragmatic and depoliticised cooperation" and underscored Russia's commitment to supplying essential resources, particularly food and fertilisers, to countries in need.

As the world grapples with the effects of climate change, Russia's accelerated warming trend could serve as a harbinger of the challenges ahead. The question remains whether global efforts will be enough to slow the pace of change.