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Education for Sustainable Development: Russian-Swedish Project

RUSSIAN SUSTAINABILITY NewsLETTER
Special Issue. May 2013
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This issue includes...
Editorial. Education for Sustainable Development: What lies beyond the UN Decade? VI Nevsky International Environmental Congress Day of the Polar Explorer in Russia Arctic Council meeting in Kiruna Double standards at Norwegian Statoil Expert council on specially protected natural territories Human development report for Russia 2013 Environmental Council of the Governor of the Murmansk region Sustainability as a development priority Greenpeace on the fate of the "Ladoga Skerries"

Editorial. Education for Sustainable Development: What lies beyond the UN Decade?
Next year, 2014, marks the completion of the UN -declared Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The world has already begun the preparations for the final UN conference of the United Nations, which will be held in November 2014 in the Japanese city of Nagoya. According to expectations, the conference should not only sum up the UN Decade, but also, as agreed with the world community, provide a common vision for the global ESD project's development beyond 2014. One part of these preparations was the conference held in late May in the oil capital of Siberia, Khanty -Mansiysk, namely the International Conference on Education for Sustainable Development, devoted to the 150th anniversary of V Vernadsky. The conference was organized by the Russian Commission for UNESCO and the Administration of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug - Yugra. It was attended by over 100 representatives of the field of formal and non-formal education in 20 countries. The main political result of the conference was the adoption of the Khanty-Mansiysk Declaration. The declaration highlights the importance of ESD for making a difference in the world, for better recognition of new educational ideas and techniques as vital means of humanity's real movement towards a brighter future; it emphasizes the need to continue this global project beyond 2014. In general, the document expresses that the prospects of ESD are undoubtedly impressive, inspirational, optimistic, etc. However, along with such an optimistic vision for ESD, it was noted that the future of ESD is a question to which there cannot be a single answer, neither for individual countries, nor for the world at large. Perhaps it can even be labelled as vague, uncertain, and even gloomy, which is also true in regard to sustainable development in general. This duality is particularly characteristic for Russia. On the one hand, the awareness of the importance of ESD is clearly growing in the professional community; there are objective preconditions, a demand for ESD and a real lack of decent alternatives. On the other hand, all this exists against a background of ESD's exotic and even marginal nature in the country - imitation instead of real activity in this area. And all this takes place during terms of regression and degradation of the educational system as a whole. What to do in this depressing situation, where to focus the efforts of the professional education community and related global institutions such as UNESCO? One of the ideas voiced in this regard at the conference was that the ESD Decade should be seen as a kind of launch mechanism for the revolution overdue in the world of education. The conference in Nagoya has to ensure the launch of an u pdated version of the old agenda for ESD, which is far from being realized and continues to be relevant to the present day. Yuri Mazurov, Moscow State University jmazurov@yandex.ru

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VI Nevsky International Environmental Congress
May 20-22, the VI Nevsky International Environmental Congress was held at the Tauride Palace in St. Petersburg. For several days, about two thousand participants - politicians, academics and business representatives from 26 countries - discussed, in plenary sessions and roundtables, the topical issues of the formation of ecological culture in the society, the development of biotechnology, and the legal aspects of environmental insurance and waste recycling. Experts discussed the issues of water management, the prospects for "green energy", legislation on environmental safety and protection of the environment. An eco-cinema worked in the Tauride Gardens - showing films on environmental themes outdoors. There was also an exhibition on "Environmental Culture - the basis of the solution of environmental problems". The congress was attended by Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Minister Sergei Donskoy. In his speech, he stressed that the raised environmental culture in the society is the basic principle for sustainable, long-term economic development of the country. Over the last 2 years more than 50 bylaws and 8 federal laws have been adopted in Russia, the main purpose of which are to form a rational relationship to the environment among all categories of users of natural resources. According to the Ministry head, by 2020 the implementation of the new environmental policy will significantly reduce the overall human pressure on the environment and at the same time increase investments in the environmental sector by 50%. According to plans, this will be achieved through a combination of measures: work on the elimination of past environmental damage, creating an industry for waste recycling and reuse, implementation of programs for environmental modernization of enterprises under the implementation of best available technology (BAT). As a priority direction for the state, the minister also mentioned the creation of a system for safe waste handling (the volume of waste associated with past economic activity in the territory of the Russian Federation today by far exceeds 31 billion tons, and the area occupied by waste annually increases by 300 000-400 000 hectares). "At present, the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is finalizing the draft federal target programme for elimination of accumulated environmental damage in the years 2014-2025. Thanks to its implementation by 2020 the proportion of used and neutralized production and consumption waste should increase from 11% to 80%," said Sergey Donskoy. Another, most important activity for the Ministry of Natural Resources as mentioned by its head, is the preservation and restoration of flora and fauna biodiversity. Over the past few years three new national parks have been established on the territory of the Russian Federation: Land of the Leopard (Primorsky Krai), Beringia (Chukotka), Onega Pomorie (Arkhangelsk region), and also two federal reserves. By 2020, it is planned to create another 11 nature reserves and 17 national parks. "The package of measures aimed at improving the environmental laws and their implementation through specific projects, forming environmental culture, and the development of environmental education and training, helps to strengthen the role of Russia as one of the leaders of the environmental movement in the world," the Minister summed up his speech. At the final plenary meeting, the Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Vyacheslav Shtyrov summed up the congress' round tables and delivered a closing speech. The tradition of the Nevsky International Environmental Congress will continue in May 2014. The Federation Council Vice-Speaker of the Federation Council noted the congress' growing authority and the great attention paid to it by the Russian Federation subjects, experts, environmentalists, community organizations, businesses, and foreign partners. 2


The congress participants have adopted a basis for the final resolution. According to Vyacheslav Shtyrov, the document will be finalized taking into account the suggestions made in the course of the round tables. "In the year of environmental culture and the environment in the CIS, we affirm in our final document the need to integrate the environmental component in educational and cultural programs, and the importance of integrating the experience with modern scientific knowledge. This will create a community of values in society that will motivate people to conserve natural systems and biodiversity on the planet, to have the ability and desire to live in harmony with nature," Shtyrov said, announcing the closure of the VI Nevsky Congress.
Source: Press Service of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation.

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Day of the Polar Explorer in Russia
The Day of the Polar Explorer has been established in Russia by decree number 502, signed May 21, 2013 by the President of Russia Vladimir Putin. The draft document was prepared by the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources, pursuant to instructions of the Government of the Russian Federation. On this memorable day, May 21, 1937 started the research expedition to the polar drifting station "North Pole - 1".
Tent of the First polar drifting research station "North Pole - 1" (" -1"), 1937. Photo: http://www.atexpo.ru/about/pre...

Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation Semyon Levi stressed that the establishment of a single national memorial day - Day of the Polar Explorer - will remind of past romantic and heroic times, and also draw attention to the work being done in the Arctic and Antarctic by new young cadres, many of which there are dire need of in many sectors of our economy. Russia is a recognized leader among polar nations of the world community. The practical work and studies of the coast-dwellers and the Cossacks in XVI - XVII centuries enriched human knowledge about the northern borders of our country, and allowed to significantly expand its territory. Since the XVIII century the state sent expeditions to describe and explore the Arctic regions, which created the first maps of the Arctic and Far East coast, and also discovered mineral deposits. At the beginning of the XX century Russia created a powerful icebreaker fleet, which allowed transport operations from the river estuaries of the Ob and Yenisei through the Kara, Barents and the White Sea to the city of Arkhangelsk. Its greatest blossoming the activities for the study and exploration of the Arctic reached during the Soviet era. On December 17, 1932 the Chief Directorate of the Northern Sea Route at the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR was created. The jurisdiction of this organization was to provide transport operations along the Northern Sea Route, to construct ports, airports, towns, polar stations and mines for mining operations, to organize cargo shipments to the northern river estuaries, to create industrial structures for the organization of reindeer herding, farming and fishing and to promote comprehensive research on the Far North and the Arctic. 3


On May 21, 1937 the first research station, called "North Pole - 1" opened on a drifting ice floe in the area of the geographic North Pole. The station's staff of four was headed by I Papanin. The first Soviet drifting station was operated for nine months. During this period, it travelled about 2500 km from the North Pole to the southern part of the Greenland Sea. The unprecedented drift across the expanses of the Arctic Ocean by the North Pole-1 station brought an invaluable amount of new knowledge about the nature of waters and ice, atmosphere, patterns of variability of the magnetic field, and the diversity of marine life in the cold waters. All these results were achieved by scientists and professionals who worked selflessly in the difficult conditions in the Arctic and Antarctic to provide welfare, defence and international prestige to our state. On May 21, 2013 a solemn meeting devoted to the first nationwide celebration of the Day of the Polar Explorer was held at the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute of Roshydromet. The event was attended by the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation Sergey Donskoy, the President of the State Polar Academy, the Head of the Association of Polar Explorers, Senator Artur Chilingarov and many others, hydrologists, pilots, meteorologists, sailors and captains. After the end of the official part they all gathered around a festive table. There was also a direct link to the drifting station North Pole-40 and the icebreaker Yamal in Antarctica. During the meeting, Mikhail Slipenchuk, who led the Commission to the Association for Science and Industrial Technology, was elected vice-president of the Association of Polar Explorers. Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Natural Resources, Environment and Ecology M Slipenchuk is party to a number of Arctic expeditions. He currently heads the Arctic group - the permanent delegation of the State Duma in the Conference of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region.
Source: Press Service of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation.

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Arctic Council meeting in Kiruna
The Arctic Council held its most recent regular in Kiruna, Sweden. Having begun its operations as a purely symbolic authority, the Arctic Council is today reaching a more important status before our eyes. And, although the Arctic Council so far has issued only two agreements (an agreement on cooperation in the aviation and maritime search and rescue in the Arctic issued a meeting in Greenland in 2011, and now in Sweden an agreement on the elimination of Arctic oil spill), the interest in its work and opportunities is growing, as demonstrated by the last conference in Kiruna. At the conference of the Arctic Council in Kiruna the Russian Federation was represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. To date, eight subarctic states have full membership of the Arctic Council: Canada, USA, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Finland and Russia. Prior to Kiruna, the permanent observers at the Arctic Council comprised France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom. Permanent Observers do not have voting rights in the Arctic Council, but, in contrast to ad hoc observers, automatically receive invitations to meetings of the organization. The Arctic Council considered applications from states wishing to receive the status of permanent observer. Six countries China, Japan, India, Italy, South Korea and Singapore received this status. Having formally accepted the applications of the ambitious newcomers, Sergey Lavrov and his colleagues did everything possible to protect the Arctic from their claims. To this end, they approved the "Guidelines for observers", developed at the suggestion of Russia. According to the guidelines observers shall respect the sovereignty and sovereign rights in the Arctic of the eight circumpolar countries. In this 4


case, their ability to take part in the activities and programs of the Council, including financially, may be limited. The Council will also assess the "behaviour" of observers once every four years. As said Carl Bildt, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, currently holding the chairmanship of the Council, the acceptance of new countries among its numbers will enable the organization to strengthen its international position, and the presence of "guidelines" will prevent it from becoming unmanageable. A number of Asian countries received status as permanent observers, however, the European Union, also seeking similar status was denied. Consideration of the EU's application was postponed to a later date. That is, we can now talk about 2015. The reason for this was the claim of Canada, which stood up for its Eskimos who lost their opportunity of seal hunting because of environmental regulations in the European Union in 2009. The Canadian Eskimo attempt to challenge the ban on hunting sea mammals in the European Court in Luxembourg ended in failure. The Arctic Council, which takes its decisions on the basis of unanimity, was forced to postpone consideration of the European Union's application. In a statement, the EU said on this occasion: "The EU will continue negotiations with the Canadian authorities in order to resolve outstanding issues." Chairmanship of the Arctic Council has moved from Sweden to Canada for the new two-year cycle. In addition, the conference in Kiruna on May 15, 2013 confirmed the U.S. strategy to build permanent structures of the Arctic Council under the auspices of their closest ally - Norway, which is not a member of the European Union. The Arctic Council Secretariat is located in Northern Norway, in TromsЬ, as stipulated in a special agreement between the Norwegian government and the head of the Secretariat of the Arctic Council. In addition, the conference in Kiruna confirmed the decision to move the secretariat of indigenous peoples to TromsЬ. Thus, the decision to transform the Norwegian TromsЬ into the "capital of the Arctic", uttered during the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Norway in June 2012, has been completed.
Source: Web site of REGNUM Information Agency

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Double standards at Norwegian Statoil
At about one o'clock in the afternoon on May 17, the polar bear of Greenpeace Russia came to the building of the Embassy of Norway in Moscow to call on Norway to abandon oil development in ice conditions in the Arctic, and in particular, Norwegian Statoil's joint project with Russian Rosneft. "We appeal to all citizens of Norway, represented by the embassy, with a call to protect the environment not only at home. Today, the Norwegians celebrate a holiday, the Constitution Day, but polar bears have no reason to rejoice. On May 14, the state-owned company Statoil's shareholders voted for the extraction of oil in ice conditions abroad. In Norway, this is not allowed due to lack of experience and technology, but environmental legislation in Russia is weak and ineffective. In Russia, Statoil plans to drill among the drifting ice in the Barents Sea, in partnership with Rosneft, the most "dirty" oil company in the world. Spilled oil cannot be collected from the ice, and any major accident here would be disastrous," explains Yevgeny Belyakov, coordinator of Greenpeace Russia's Arctic programme. Let us recall that the preservation of nature in the Barents Sea is common task for Russia and Norway, and double standards are unacceptable." On April 1, the polar bear floated on ice to the Kremlin to encourage people to protect the Arctic. After that it went on to St. Petersburg with a letter to the Prime Minister of Norway. Then it gave an impromptu concert on the oil barrels at the Russian office of Statoil. It has received the support of almost 70,000 people in Russia, Norway and other countries. They have sent 63,000 letters to the Norwegian prime minister and 5000 cards to the company's board with appeals to refrain from risky projects. 5


The bear in the picture mourns her cubs that were smeared with oil. Thus, it demonstrates the fate awaiting the inhabitants of the Arctic if drilling will start there. In her paws the bear holds a placard with the words: "Norway Stop Statoil, Save the Arctic!". Photo from Greenpeace's web site

Statoil has, however, ignored their arguments, as well as the possible risk of a catastrophe in the Arctic. We hope that Norway will still listen to public opinion and we encourage Norwegians to tell their government about the inadmissibility of double standards.
Source: Press-service of Greenpeace Russia

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Environmental Council of the Governor of the Murmansk region
In the Murmansk region a public environmental council will be established under the governor and work has also began on establishing the Khibiny national park. On May 20, WWF Russia and the Government of the Murmansk region signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of environmental protection. Cooperation with the WWF in the region dates back to 2006, when the Foundation began to train inspectors on the protection of natural areas and train volunteers in oil spill clean-up. Three nature monuments and the Lapland forest nature reserve have been created as a result of the joint work. The Management of Protected Areas (PAs) became operational virtually from scratch became operational. The regional law on protected areas and their concept of development to 2038 were created with WWF participation. At the meeting, the governor Marina Kovtun said that WWF in the region has played a leading role in the formation of respect for nature and solving environmental problems. In turn, Igor Chestin, director of WWF Russia, praised the long-standing close cooperation with the regional administration, which is to be further strengthened following the signing of a cooperation agreement. Igor Chestin proposed setting up a public environmental council under the governor, which would openly discuss environmental issues and identify potential conflicts at an early stage. Marina Kovtun supported the idea, saying that it is fully consistent with the concept of open government and promised that the council will start working already this year. A constructive approach was also demonstrated in the situation with the establishment of the Khibiny national park. A compromise was found with the North-Western Phosphorous Company and the parties agreed to establish a working group to prepare for the establishment of the park. Marina Kovtun said that a number of major companies in the region are already ready to enter the board of trustees of the future park. After the signing ceremony, Igor Chestin presented the Governor with a symbolic gift - WWF volunteer suit. "When you agreed to lead the region, you automatically took on the responsibility to become a 6


defender of not only plants and animals, but also all the people of the region," said the head of WWF Russia. A gift of particular interest to the governor was WWF supporter Andrey Bilzho's book, "The green alphabet of life". The head of the region promised to personally review the book and asked for a few copies for Murmansk's children's libraries.
Source: Press Service of the WWF Russia.

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Expert council on specially protected natural territories
An expert council on protected areas (PAs) has been established under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Russia. Supervision to ensure the work of the expert council is provided by Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Rinat Gizatulin. The expert council was established in accordance with the concept of development of federal protected areas for the period to 2020, approved by RF Government decree in order to improve governance of the organization and functioning of the protected areas. The purpose of the Council is to develop proposals and recommendations to ensure the adoption of decisions on the strategic development of the system of protected areas in Russia and important issues relating to the individual nature reserves and national parks. In particular, the tasks of the Expert Council include issues of improvement of legislation in the field of protected areas, forming a geographic network of protected areas, environmental education and tourism in protected areas, etc. The Expert Council is a standing advisory collegial body and carries out its work on a voluntary basis. The Expert Council includes representatives of the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources, Rosprirodnadzor management, the environmental education centre "Nature Reserves", ten nature reserves subordinated to the Ministry of Natural Resources and four national parks, the Heritage Institute, the Institute of Ecology and Evolution, the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Natural Heritage Protection Fund, the Wildlife Conservation Centre, the World Wildlife Fund, the Russian Union of Bird Conservation, the Dersu Uzala Ecotourism Development Fund, the Office of supporting UNDP projects in Russia, the National Fund for natural reserves "Nature reserve country", and the Partnership for reserves.
Source: Press Service of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation.

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Human development report for Russia 2013
On May 21, 2013 a presentation of the Report on Human Development in the Russian Federation "Sustainable Development: Challenges of Rio" was held at the Analytical Center under the Government of the Russian Federation. The 2013 Report examines Russia's transition to sustainable development, taking into account social, environmental and economic factors. In 10 chapters, new approaches to developing education and science, improving health, developing a model of "green" economy and sustainability indicators are presented. Particular attention is paid to the improvement of energy, climate and regional policies, and the role of civil society and business in the transition to sustainable development. The presentation was held by the report's lead author, Ph.D., professor of the Economics Faculty of Lomonosov Moscow State University Sergei Bobylev. During the presentation, the authors of the report presented its key themes: 7


· Alexander Bedritsky, advisor to the President of the Russian Federation, the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation on Climate, PhD, "Russia and the world: a course towards sustainable development. Climate Policy"; · Boris Revich, head of the Laboratory of forecasting environmental quality of and human health, Institute of Economic Forecasting of the Russian Academy of Sciences, PhD; · Sergey Shishkin, scientific director of the Institute of Health Economics, National Research University - Higher School of Economics, Ph.D., "Health and Sustainable Development"; · Sergey Bobylev, professor of the Economics Faculty of Moscow State University, Doctor of Economics, "A new "green" economy to the world and Russia"; · Yevgeny Schwartz, Director of Conservation Policy, WWF Russia, D.Sc., "Russian business and sustainable development: implementation of international standards in environmental risk management"; · Yuri Mazurov, Professor of Environmental Management, Geography Department of Moscow State University, D.Sc., "Science and Education for Sustainable Development"; · Leonid Grigoriev, Professor, Chief Adviser to the Head of the Analytical Center of the Government of the Russian Federation, Head of the Department of World Economy at the Faculty of World Economy and International Politics of National Research University - Higher School of Economics, Ph.D., "Energy Efficiency: A key element of the new economy."
Chapter 2 of the Report on Human Development in the Russian Federation is called "Science and education for sustainable development". It was prepared by Academician, Dean of Geography of Moscow State University Professor N Kasimov and Professor Y Mazurov of the same faculty. One of the boxes of this chapter informs the reader about the Russian-Swedish project of education for sustainable development, which began in 2009 and has become one of the most successful examples of promoting the idea ofsustainable development in education in higher education institutions in Russia.

The report is published in Russian, and is currently being translated into English. The text is also available on the official website of UNDP in the Russian Federation: http://www.undp.ru/index.php?iso=RU&lid=2&cmd=publications1&id=49 .
Source: Own information.

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Sustainability as a development priority
May 20, 2013 marks 80 years since the founding of the Belarusian State Economic University (BSEU) the largest university in Belarus. Being the oldest centre of education and science in the country, the university has made a significant contribution to the formation of the national economy, training nearly 140,000 highly skilled personnel for all sectors and regions. Many of them have become prominent statesmen, heads of ministries, departments, well-known scientists. Graduates of the Belarusian State Economic University are working in almost all post-Soviet countries, as well as in Asia, Africa, Europe and 8


Latin America. Currently, the Belarusian State Economic University has more than 23,000 students, undergraduates and graduate students, and more than 1,600 faculty and staff. On the eve of the anniversary the Belarusian State Economic University successfully hosted the International scientific-practical conference "The economic growth of the Republic of Belarus: globalization, innovation, sustainability". It was attended by over 300 representatives of economic science from Belarus, as well as dozens of representatives of almost all post-Soviet states and foreign countries. At the beginning of the conference two volumes of its materials was published, and numerous information materials were prepared. The main speaker at the plenary meeting was the Rector of the Belarusian State Economic University prof. V Shimov. In his speech, he noted that in the present conditions of the transition of the Belarusian economy to an innovative way, "we connect the prospects of its development with the following directions: · · · the introduction of third-generation standards of economic professions in education, with the requisite set of knowledge and skills to address challenges facing the country; further diversification of the educational process through discovery, based on the needs of the innovation economy, new skills and specializations; creating, in major economic entities of the Republic and at Research Institutes, branches producing professionals with a view to forming a system of scientific and university research centers, introduction of scientific developments in the real economy in order to deepen the integration of education, science and industry; strengthening the human resource capacity of the university by attracting talented young people and the formation of new science schools."
Development sustainability was one of the dominant issues at the conference. It was particularly well presented in the section "Actual problems of the greening of economic development", held under the guidance of professor Natalia Smolskaya, head of the department of environmental economics of Belarusian State Economic University. The employees of this department are active agents of sustainable development within the courses they teach. Their textbooks on environmental economics are popular not only in Belarus, but also in Russia. This department initiated the teaching of sustainable development in the country's higher education as an academic course. The picture shows Belarus' first textbook in the discipline, developed by Olga Shimova, professor of environmental economics at BGEU and actively sought after in other universities of Belarus and abroad.

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The achievements of BGEU are of great interest in the educational-methodical, scientific and organizational relationships for Russian universities, which was clearly demonstrated at the anniversary event in Minsk.
Source: Own information.

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Greenpeace on the fate of the "Ladoga Skerries"
Greenpeace Russia has appealed to the President of the Russian Federation in connection with the fact that the authorities of the Republic of Karelia openly sabotage the orders and instructions of Vladimir 9


Putin and Dmitry Medvedev on the establishment of the Ladoga Skerries national park. The Greenpeace appeal states that over the past four years, the Russian government has already made four decisions, providing specific terms for the creation of the Ladoga Skerries national park. So far, none have been implemented. Greenpeace proposes to take immediate steps to organize the national park. Procrastination is detrimental because it creates conditions for the subsequent sale of the land into private hands; already now one can see advertisements for sale of land for cottages. It is also necessary to identify and prevent corrupt relations of officers involved in unlawful development within the park area.
The sale of coastal areas within the Ladoga Skerries national park has acquired a mass character. The Internet has hundreds of such ads. Some sellers specify that they have "a lot of interesting options that are not available on the open market". There is reason to suspect that in this case we are talking about questionable or illegal sales schemes. Photo from Greenpeace's web site

The land of the future park, which is now owned by the state, has not yet been adequately measured and entered to the state cadastral registration. This allows withdrawing vast and also the most valuable areas of the park with a view to their economic development. The commercial value of these sites is growing due to the construction of the Moscow-Sortavala highway, which will make them very attractive for the residents of St. Petersburg. Under the law, the draft project of the Ladoga Skerries national park should be sent for state ecological expertise review. The Ministry of Natural Resources, where the finished project has been waiting for a long time, has delayed doing this for several months, justifying it by the fact that part of the proposed park has been leased to logging. In turn, the government of the Republic of Karelia can in no way make the necessary changes to such a lease agreement, justifying its inactivity with that the federal authorities have not defined the order for introducing such changes. Thus, wittingly or unwittingly, the federal and republican officials contribute to the destruction of the most valuable natural areas, as long as they have not been protected. Work on the creation of the Ladoga Skerries national park has in fact, stopped. Unless urgent action is taken it will very soon be too late to create the park, according to Greenpeace Russia.
Source: Press Service of Greenpeace Russia

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RUSSIAN SUSTAINABILITY NewsLETTER, June 2013

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