To "Define" the Borders of Tunkinsky National Park Means To Drown It in Oil
Recently the Ministry of natural resources of Russia has considered the UKOS' project of the oil pipeline Angarsk - Datzin (China). UKOS oil company intends to build the pipeline on the territory of Tunkinsky National Park in Siberia (Buryatia Republic). Now the officials of the ministry say that it is necessary to "define" the borders of the National Park. It looks like the Ministry has decided to sacrifice the National Park to the ambitious oil transportation project.
The conclusion of the Ministry contains the statement that main disadvantage of the project is that the oil pipeline path passes through Tunkinsky national park, where any economic activity is forbidden. Other defects of the project, such as high seismic activity in the region, closeness of Baikal and the risk of its pollution, lack of landscape description of the pipeline path, were bypassed in ministerial conclusion. It is necessary to say that tens of thousands of accidents on the oil pipelines happen in Russia annually, in region without such problems as mountain relief or 9-ball-force earthquakes.
Tunkinsky valley is one of biggest Russian health resorts with mountain air and medicinal mineral water springs. Now Tuniknsky National Park - one of the biggest in Russia - and the whole valley are to be cut by oil pipeline. Russia risks to loose the valuable area of Altay and Sayani ecological region. Construction of oil pipeline will bring the plans of development of international tourism in this region to nothing.
"Defining" (or cutting down in reality) of the borders of Tunkinsky National park in case it will be realizes would mean that Russia has no environment conservation law in fact, and that big companies can build roads, pipelines, factories anywhere they want - even inside the natural reserves. They need only change the borders, and no one cares about the destiny of valuable natural areas.
Several months ago the regional government of Buryatia, where Tunkinsky National Park is situated, have published its decision on defining of the borders of the national park. After that the public prosecutor of Buryatia went to the court supreme court of Buryatia with demand to nullify the decision. Now a collective complaint of the citizens against changing of the borders of the national park is prepared to be lodged in supreme court of Buryatia.
07/10/2003
Baikal Ecological Wave
E-mail:
yana@baikalwave.eu.org
NGOs Draw Up a Claim Against Russian Government's Plans of Oil Production in Baltic Sea
"Ecodefense!" environmental group together with other NGOs have preparing a claim against Russian Government. In the claim it demands to ban realization of the project of oil production (D6) in Baltic Sea. The project of LUKoil company on oil production in 22 kilometers from Kyrshskaya spit threatens to the National Park situated on the shelf of Baltic Sea. The park is included in the UNESCO's list of World Heritage.
The experts of "Ecodefense!" group say that the project threatens to the unique ecosystem of Baltic Sea with scaled oil spills comparable to big oil catastrophes on other countries. Realization of the project could negatively influence on tourism and fishery in Kaliningrad region and deprive part of local population of means of subsistence.
For year that passed since the beginning of the project "Ecodefense!" has tried practically all the ways of resistance to oil production on Baltic Sea shelf. It's members participated in local public hearings on the project, it has organized the international campaign for declaring of moratorium on oil production in Baltic Sea, and so on. But, meanwhile, LUKoil has found the support of the state authorities and intends to begin oil production this year already.
"Ecodefense!" conducts the action on preparing of the claim and collects the signatures of citizens who are concerned with the destiny of the National Park and of all the Baltic Sea. More signatures means more chances to win the suit.
The "Ecodefense!" experts are sure that the community having join hands together for defense of Kurshskaya spit - the small area on Baltic coast - will be able to work through the pattern of the actions, and then to apply this pattern for counteraction to other illegal oil projects: in Murmansk region, near Baikal, on Sakhalin and on Caspian Sea. JURIKS organization renders legal support to the plaintiffs in preparation of the claim.
07/10/2003
Alexandra Koroleva, "Ecodefense!"
phone/fax: +7 - 0112 - 43-72-86; 75-71-06
E-mail: ecosasha@rol.ru
Malaysian Threat to Russian Forests
Malaysian firm Rimbunan Hijau Group, notorious with barbarous felling of trees, intends to produce wood in Irkutsk region in Russia. The representatives of the firm have met the authorities of Irkutsk region have promised to invest in timber industry of the region and have expressed their wish for playing a master in Russian forests.
L. Panchenko, the deputy CEO of Rimbunan Hijau Group have stated that the firm "is planning to harvest and process about a million or more cubic meters of wood annually". It is supposed that the Malaysian firm will create separate enterprise in the region that would produce boards and panels. The company cites as an example their experience of work in Khabarovsk Territory (Russian Far East) where in which it has invested about $95 millions. But the representatives of the firm have kept back their "experience" in Primorsky Territory (Russia) and Indonesia as well as about the problems in Khabarovk Territory provoked by their activity. Meanwhile this transnational company has cut down the best forests of the region and so it has deprived the local population (small people penany) of their traditional hunting resource.
The rate of destruction of forests in Asian-Pacific region, where timber industry is controlled by Rimbunan Hijau, are highest in the world. In spite of creating of reserves there and restrictions for cutting of old-growth forests, in this region forests are disappearing 5 times faster than in the world as a whole.
During its work in Russian Far East the Rimbunan Hijau Group made many violations, in particular, rubbish left on wood-cutting areas, which further becomes the cause of fires and breeding of vermin. For many years of its activity the company just exported round wood out from Russia, but now has begun to set sawing and processing equipment because of measures of officials. But the company had time to clear cut all the forest areas allotted to it, and there is nothing to process. And so it has decided to move to Irkutsk region, where the forests are remained yet.
24/09/2003
Baikal environmental wave
E-mail: yana@baikalwave.eu.org
Talks on Joining of Kazakhstan to Construction of Baku-Tbilisi-Djeikhan Pipeline Goes On
Another round of negotiations on joining of Kazakhstan to the project of construction of the pipeline Baku-Tbilisi-Djeikhan was held in the beginning of September in Baku. Public consultations conducted by British Petroleum are proceed in Azerbaijan and Georgia. The environmentalists continue to insist on changing of the path of the pipeline.
The special anxiety of the ecologists is caused by that the oil pipeline will pass through Borjomi gorge, where the unique springs of mineral water in Caucasus are situated.
As it was already told more than once, the production of "Borjomi" mineral water is more profitable to Georgia than payments that are expected from use of the pipeline. It is clear that from construction of the pipeline. In case of start of oil transportation through Borgomi gorge, cleanliness of the mineral water, famous all over world, is under big question.
The planned measures on prevention of pollution are insufficient, and any flood of oil would quickly result in scale pollution of Tabatskuty lake, Ktsia river and Tsalka lake, and also of the world famous water and marsh lands and the places of migration of birds. Water and marsh land Ktsia-Nariani is one of largest mountain waterlogged territories on Caucasus.
In opinion of the environmentalists from WWF, the assessment of the risks of influence on nature conducted by BP are insufficient; they cannot justify construction of the oil pipeline through this unique nature territory. The danger is redoubled by that fact, that proposed path of the pipeline will pass through territories, were earthquakes and landslides are strong and very often. Effective cleaning of the polluted river ecosystems is practically impossible there, and despite of offered measures of prevention of damage to environment in case oil the drinking water and the river animals will subject serious negative influence for many further years.
12/09/2003
ISEU Press service
E-mail: seupress@seu.ru
Recently the Ministry of natural resources of Russia has considered the UKOS' project of the oil pipeline Angarsk - Datzin (China). UKOS oil company intends to build the pipeline on the territory of Tunkinsky National Park in Siberia (Buryatia Republic). Now the officials of the ministry say that it is necessary to "define" the borders of the National Park. It looks like the Ministry has decided to sacrifice the National Park to the ambitious oil transportation project.
The conclusion of the Ministry contains the statement that main disadvantage of the project is that the oil pipeline path passes through Tunkinsky national park, where any economic activity is forbidden. Other defects of the project, such as high seismic activity in the region, closeness of Baikal and the risk of its pollution, lack of landscape description of the pipeline path, were bypassed in ministerial conclusion. It is necessary to say that tens of thousands of accidents on the oil pipelines happen in Russia annually, in region without such problems as mountain relief or 9-ball-force earthquakes.
Tunkinsky valley is one of biggest Russian health resorts with mountain air and medicinal mineral water springs. Now Tuniknsky National Park - one of the biggest in Russia - and the whole valley are to be cut by oil pipeline. Russia risks to loose the valuable area of Altay and Sayani ecological region. Construction of oil pipeline will bring the plans of development of international tourism in this region to nothing.
"Defining" (or cutting down in reality) of the borders of Tunkinsky National park in case it will be realizes would mean that Russia has no environment conservation law in fact, and that big companies can build roads, pipelines, factories anywhere they want - even inside the natural reserves. They need only change the borders, and no one cares about the destiny of valuable natural areas.
Several months ago the regional government of Buryatia, where Tunkinsky National Park is situated, have published its decision on defining of the borders of the national park. After that the public prosecutor of Buryatia went to the court supreme court of Buryatia with demand to nullify the decision. Now a collective complaint of the citizens against changing of the borders of the national park is prepared to be lodged in supreme court of Buryatia.
07/10/2003
Baikal Ecological Wave
E-mail:
yana@baikalwave.eu.org NGOs Draw Up a Claim Against Russian Government's Plans of Oil Production in Baltic Sea
"Ecodefense!" environmental group together with other NGOs have preparing a claim against Russian Government. In the claim it demands to ban realization of the project of oil production (D6) in Baltic Sea. The project of LUKoil company on oil production in 22 kilometers from Kyrshskaya spit threatens to the National Park situated on the shelf of Baltic Sea. The park is included in the UNESCO's list of World Heritage.
The experts of "Ecodefense!" group say that the project threatens to the unique ecosystem of Baltic Sea with scaled oil spills comparable to big oil catastrophes on other countries. Realization of the project could negatively influence on tourism and fishery in Kaliningrad region and deprive part of local population of means of subsistence.
For year that passed since the beginning of the project "Ecodefense!" has tried practically all the ways of resistance to oil production on Baltic Sea shelf. It's members participated in local public hearings on the project, it has organized the international campaign for declaring of moratorium on oil production in Baltic Sea, and so on. But, meanwhile, LUKoil has found the support of the state authorities and intends to begin oil production this year already.
"Ecodefense!" conducts the action on preparing of the claim and collects the signatures of citizens who are concerned with the destiny of the National Park and of all the Baltic Sea. More signatures means more chances to win the suit.
The "Ecodefense!" experts are sure that the community having join hands together for defense of Kurshskaya spit - the small area on Baltic coast - will be able to work through the pattern of the actions, and then to apply this pattern for counteraction to other illegal oil projects: in Murmansk region, near Baikal, on Sakhalin and on Caspian Sea. JURIKS organization renders legal support to the plaintiffs in preparation of the claim.
07/10/2003
Alexandra Koroleva, "Ecodefense!"
phone/fax: +7 - 0112 - 43-72-86; 75-71-06
E-mail:
ecosasha@rol.ru Malaysian Threat to Russian Forests
Malaysian firm Rimbunan Hijau Group, notorious with barbarous felling of trees, intends to produce wood in Irkutsk region in Russia. The representatives of the firm have met the authorities of Irkutsk region have promised to invest in timber industry of the region and have expressed their wish for playing a master in Russian forests.
L. Panchenko, the deputy CEO of Rimbunan Hijau Group have stated that the firm "is planning to harvest and process about a million or more cubic meters of wood annually". It is supposed that the Malaysian firm will create separate enterprise in the region that would produce boards and panels. The company cites as an example their experience of work in Khabarovsk Territory (Russian Far East) where in which it has invested about $95 millions. But the representatives of the firm have kept back their "experience" in Primorsky Territory (Russia) and Indonesia as well as about the problems in Khabarovk Territory provoked by their activity. Meanwhile this transnational company has cut down the best forests of the region and so it has deprived the local population (small people penany) of their traditional hunting resource.
The rate of destruction of forests in Asian-Pacific region, where timber industry is controlled by Rimbunan Hijau, are highest in the world. In spite of creating of reserves there and restrictions for cutting of old-growth forests, in this region forests are disappearing 5 times faster than in the world as a whole.
During its work in Russian Far East the Rimbunan Hijau Group made many violations, in particular, rubbish left on wood-cutting areas, which further becomes the cause of fires and breeding of vermin. For many years of its activity the company just exported round wood out from Russia, but now has begun to set sawing and processing equipment because of measures of officials. But the company had time to clear cut all the forest areas allotted to it, and there is nothing to process. And so it has decided to move to Irkutsk region, where the forests are remained yet.
24/09/2003
Baikal environmental wave
E-mail:
yana@baikalwave.eu.org Talks on Joining of Kazakhstan to Construction of Baku-Tbilisi-Djeikhan Pipeline Goes On
Another round of negotiations on joining of Kazakhstan to the project of construction of the pipeline Baku-Tbilisi-Djeikhan was held in the beginning of September in Baku. Public consultations conducted by British Petroleum are proceed in Azerbaijan and Georgia. The environmentalists continue to insist on changing of the path of the pipeline.
The special anxiety of the ecologists is caused by that the oil pipeline will pass through Borjomi gorge, where the unique springs of mineral water in Caucasus are situated.
As it was already told more than once, the production of "Borjomi" mineral water is more profitable to Georgia than payments that are expected from use of the pipeline. It is clear that from construction of the pipeline. In case of start of oil transportation through Borgomi gorge, cleanliness of the mineral water, famous all over world, is under big question.
The planned measures on prevention of pollution are insufficient, and any flood of oil would quickly result in scale pollution of Tabatskuty lake, Ktsia river and Tsalka lake, and also of the world famous water and marsh lands and the places of migration of birds. Water and marsh land Ktsia-Nariani is one of largest mountain waterlogged territories on Caucasus.
In opinion of the environmentalists from WWF, the assessment of the risks of influence on nature conducted by BP are insufficient; they cannot justify construction of the oil pipeline through this unique nature territory. The danger is redoubled by that fact, that proposed path of the pipeline will pass through territories, were earthquakes and landslides are strong and very often. Effective cleaning of the polluted river ecosystems is practically impossible there, and despite of offered measures of prevention of damage to environment in case oil the drinking water and the river animals will subject serious negative influence for many further years.
12/09/2003
ISEU Press service
E-mail:
seupress@seu.ru 
