Putin orders Russian government to work towards Paris climate goals

FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with heads of religious confessions on the National Unity Day, via a video conference call in Moscow, Russia November 4, 2020. Sputnik/Aleksey Nikolskyi/Kremlin via REUTERS

(This Nov. 5 story corrects paragraph three to show emissions cut goal is up to 30%, not up to 70%)

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree ordering the Russian government to work towards meeting the 2015 Paris Agreement to fight climate change, but stressed any action must be balanced with the need to ensure strong economic development.