Moscow - Russia's new president Dmitry Medvedev called on Tuesday for higher standards of environmental protection and for the state to finance renewable energy projects, in a rare comment on ecological concerns in Russia's rapid-growth economy.

"If we think only of the energy wasted in our heating networks, our country is first in the world: It is a bad record," Medvedev was quoted by news agency Interfax as saying at a Kremlin meeting Tuesday.

The comments endorse Medvedev's stamp as more liberal-minded than his mentor and predecessor Vladimir Putin, and fostered hopes among green campaigners that the statements mark a change in Russia's poor record of environmental policy.

"With respect to energy efficiency, the majority of manufacturers lag behind modern times," Medvedev said on Tuesday, adding the state "must act fast" to enact regulatory legislation.

Medvedev called for financing for renewable energy projects to be included in budget as early as next year.

"We should stimulate environmentally safe technologies through many different means," he said, citing one tactic as support for small and medium businesses for whom the current regulatory checks are "impractical."

After decades of Soviet neglect, Russia has more than its share of environmental degradation which the latest period of booming economic growth has done little to improve.

Medvedev said one million of Russians live in environments that have "dangerous levels of pollution," while experts say two-thirds of Russia's 142 million citizens have access to drinking water that is below international standards for pollution levels.

Last month green campaigners were outraged over Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov's plans for the construction of six environmentally dubious waste incinerators to join those already existing in the city limits. Moscow is already ranked one of the most unclean cities in the world.

But following upon comments made during Medvedev's campaign, the green-friendly rhetoric Tuesday has put wind in the sails of environmental campaigners hopeful for a higher awareness and greater legislation on ecological issues. (dpa)