russian president Vladimir Putin signed the resolution pertaining to Russia's ratification of the Kyoto Protocol on November 4, 2004. Earlier, both houses of the Russian parliament voted in favour of the treaty with little debate. Russia's ratification will now enable the enforcement of the treaty, which aims to curtail greenhouse gas emissions by industrialised countries. Once the country deposits its instrument of ratification with the un, the treaty will enter into force within 90 days.

The resolution was passed in view of "the significance of the protocol for the development of international cooperation,' said a statement by the Russian administration after Putin's endorsement. It added that although the ratification would have "serious consequences' for the country's social and economic development, Russia had taken into accout the fact that its participation was the only hope for the protocol to take effect.

The Federation Council (fc), Russia's upper house of parliament, voted overwhelmingly in favour of the treaty on October 27, 2004. While 139 members supported it, one opposed it and one abstained. On October 21, 2004, the 409-member lower house of parliament, the Duma, had voted 334-73 in favour of the treaty with two abstentions (see