Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the Climate Change Conference (COP 21), which opens on November 30 in Paris.

AFP quoted French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius on November 8 as saying that the conference was attended by 100 heads of state, notably including "the President of the United States, the President of China and the President of Russia…".

Russian President Putin. Photo: AFP

Russia, one of the world's leading oil exporters, is seen as a factor that could either "seal" or "break" negotiations by countries around the world to reach, for the first time, a global agreement to address global warming through greenhouse gas reduction.

Previously, in March 2015, Russia committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 25-30% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. However, Russia also set other conditions to ensure the outcome of negotiations was based on commitments from other major greenhouse gas emitters.

According to the World Resources Institute, Russia is one of the top five countries and blocs emitting greenhouse gases in the world, after China, the US, the EU, and India.

According to Climate Watch, Russia's commitment to reducing emissions is still considered insufficient.

According to VOV