Starting in 2026, cross-border carbon regulation requirements will begin to directly affect Russian exporters, and the environmental agenda will become one of the key factors in competitiveness on global markets. Head of the Gaidar Institute’s International Best Practices Analysis Department, Antonina Levashenko told Vedomosti.
According to the expert, starting in 2026, the requirements of the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will apply to importers. First and foremost, they will affect suppliers of carbon-intensive products, including producers of iron, steel, and fertilizers.
“CBAM is becoming a serious trade barrier for Russian exporters. To maintain its position in foreign markets, Russia needs to accelerate the development of its domestic carbon market and adopt international standards for emissions measurement, reporting, and data verification,” Antonina Levashenko emphasized.
She noted that Australia, South Korea, Canada, and the United Kingdom are considering similar carbon regulation mechanisms. An additional challenge for businesses will be the EU’s new requirements for eco-design and digital product passports, which will become mandatory starting in 2027 for a number of industries, including the textile and chemical sectors.
According to Antonina Levashenko, this is precisely why green logistics and the digitalization of supply chains are gradually becoming not only an environmental initiative but also a prerequisite for the international competitiveness of businesses.