The problem of climate change is a global challenge of the XXI century for all mankind. However, despite the adoption of the Paris climate agreement, which is designed to synchronize the actions of various countries, individual countries or groups of countries are taking the path of obtaining unilateral preferences under the pretext of fulfilling the obligations stipulated in the agreement. The article analyzes the challenges and risks that Russia may face in the absence of its own greenhouse gas regulation systems against the background of the declared and implemented in a number of countries policy of achieving zero greenhouse gas emissions. Ways to fully utilize the potential absorption capacity of Russian forests and other ecosystems in relation to the goals of the Paris climate agreement are considered. We are talking about potential effects for the Russian economy in the form of domestic investment in forest projects to absorb CO2, while increasing the competitiveness of Russian export products in the context of the introduction of protectionist measures by individual countries under the pretext of fighting for “climate neutrality”.