MOSCOW — Russia could ratify the Kyoto Protocol by the end of the year and kick-start global attempts to control climate change, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov said on Thursday.

Russian approval is crucial to the pact's future, and the government last week signed off on it. The ratification documents were passed to parliament on Thursday.

"Discussion could start in October, and the ratification process could be concluded by the end of the year," Zhukov told reporters.

Zhukov said three days ago that he hoped parliament would start debate on the Kyoto accord this month but gave no indication of when the process would be completed.

For the pact to come into force, developed nations responsible for 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions must ratify it.

Top polluter Washington pulled out in 2001, saying the treaty would be too costly, leaving second-placed polluter Russia's decision as key.

Zhukov said Russian ministries would need three months to draw up guidelines for mechanisms to implement the pact, which aims to stabilise emissions of greenhouse gases by assigning quotas to heavily polluting countries.

Russia does not have effective mechanisms to monitor greenhouse gas emissions or for companies to trade quotas.

Parliament is dominated by Kremlin loyalists and likely to follow the government's lead.

The ecology committee, one of three committees that will examine the issue, discussed the pact on Thursday and will discuss it further soon, Interfax news agency reported.

The economic committee will also discuss the pact within a fortnight, said Chairman Valery Draganov, saying his committee had long been in favor of the pact.

"Speaking pragmatically, this gives us the possibility of trading quotas. What is more important is that this is a new global approach that could lead to a new way of thinking," Draganov said. "I will do all I can to persuade the other deputies to approve it."

After approval by parliament, the government would begin to examine whether to engage in new rounds of emissions cuts after Kyoto runs out in 2012.

"A lot will depend on the growth of the Russian economy," said Zhukov. "If you imagine that the economy grows at 9-10 percent a year and does not take steps for energy savings, it could produce a situation when in 2010 we could be approaching the maximum quota limit set for Russia in the Kyoto Protocol."

President Vladimir Putin has set the government the task of doubling the Russian economy in 10 years, which requires yearly growth to remain near the current levels above 7 percent.

Additional reporting by Oliver Bullough

Source: Reuters