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Education for Sustainable Development: Russian-Swedish Project

RUSSIAN SUSTAINABILITY NewsLETTER
Special Issue. February 2013
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This issue includes...
Editorial. Year of Environment in Russia: ecotourism and ecological risks 2012 work results of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation The energy sector and environmental safety The Russian Orthodox Church on environmental issues Regeneration and use of natural resources in Russia New national park in northern Russia State report on the status and protection of the environment in the Russian Federation in 2011 Annual report on the status and use of forests Strategy for sustainable development of the Russian Arctic Meeting of Environment Ministers of the Arctic Council

Editorial. Year of Environment in Russia: ecotourism and ecological risks
In mid-February, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in his video blog posted an appeal calling on the country to develop eco-tourism. "We have raise people's environmental awareness, and this requires developing special, educational tourism," he said. Natural riches must be preserved, believes Medvedev, but above all for people to be able to touch the nature, the beauty of their country. It is well said and seems sincere. It is particularly impressive that this video is recorded against the backdrop of the grandiose landscapes of the pristine nature in the Pillars reserve in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. But how does this correlate with other actions of the Russian government, including practical ones undertaken at the same time? According to Russian media, amid a wave of decisions against drilling in the Arctic, the Russian government has issued licenses for drilling in the most difficult, from an environmental viewpoint, and most poorly studied marine areas. On February 6, Rosneft gained access to seven new large license areas in the Arctic shelf and already on February 13 the company signed an agreement with Exxon, which, inter alia, provides for the development of these areas. In this regard WWF Russia stated its concern with the fact that all this is happening in the absence of not only technology, but also the infrastructure needed for oil spill response in ice conditions and while oil and gas companies are in fact not ready to even supervise their activities on the Arctic shelf. The Arctic areas is also nature, this is also the beauty of Russia. But is there any guarantee for their safety with such a policy of the government? Are the environmental risks justifiable? And if so, where are the professionals' arguments? These issues cause concern not only in the environmental community, but for all citizens of the country who are not indifferent to its future. Especially in this new Year of environmental protection in Russia...
Yuri Mazurov, Moscow State University jmazurov@yandex.ru

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2012 work results of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation
Russian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Sergey Donskoy on February 9, 2013 held a meeting summing up the work of the Russian Ministry of Nature and subordinate federal services and agencies in 2012 and priorities for 2013. In his opening speech Sergey Donskoy noted the need for greater interaction between the departments and agencies in order to increase the efficiency of performing the tasks facing the ministry. As part of their presentations, the deputy ministers, department heads, heads of Rosnedra, Rosprirodnadzor, Rosvodresursy, Roshydromet and Rosleskhoz reported on the results of their activities in 2012. In his speech, the director of the Department of state policy and regulation in the field of geology and mineral resources, Alexey Oryol, reported that the Ministry has prepared and approved the program for geological study and preparation for use of hydrocarbon fields in Eastern Siberia and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The draft program for exploration of the continental shelf of the Russian Federation and the long-term development of its mineral resources has practically been approved and is being finalized. Work continued on regulations for the classification of oil and gas reserves, reproduction of the uranium resource base, development of programs to develop technogenic deposits, development of the mineral complex of the Far East and Trans-Baikal, and the deep horizons of the West Siberian and Volga-Ural oil and gas province. According to the director of the International Cooperation Department Nuritdin Inamov, it is worth noting that during the reporting period the final documents within the Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) were signed with Angola, Mongolia, Namibia and South Africa. In 2012, two IGC were added - with Mongolia and Norway, and as a result the total number of IGCs was increased to six. Currently prepared for signing are agreements with China, the Kingdom of Morocco, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. In the framework of bilateral cooperation the Russian-Abkhaz Commission on the protection and rational use transboundary objects has been formed, the co-chairs of the working group under a cooperation agreement with Venezuela and others have been appointed. A large work has been done in regard to environmental conventions: Aarhus, Espoo, CBD, Ramsar, Tehran, UNFCCC, on transboundary watercourses and inter-city lakes, the Vienna convention and its Montreal protocol. In the field of ecology, the Principles of state policy in the field of environmental development of the Russian Federation up to 2030 and the Russian State Program Environment 2012-2020 has been developed and approved by the President of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Russian Federation, respectively. The director of the Department of state policy in the field of environmental protection Svetlana Yurmanova noted that in 2013, work will continue on bills aimed at improving the environmental supervision during construction, as well as on process standardization and economic incentives. In order to create a system of safe waste management the following tasks are expected to be solved: establishment of producer responsibility for disposal and recycling of products, which has lost their consumer properties, legal support for the state cadastre of waste, etc. As part of the elimination of environmental damage, ten projects planned for implementation in 2013, as well as development of a draft federal target program for the elimination of accumulated damage, and continued inventory of the presence of past environmental damage. 2


Speaking about the development of a network of protected areas, S. Yurmanova reported about the plans to in 2013 create the national parks Onega Pomorie (Arkhangelsk region), Chikoy (Transbaikalia), Shantarsky Island (Primorsky territory) and the reserve Ingermanland (Leningrad region), as well as expand the territory of the Caucasus Nature Reserve and Sochi National Park. According to the director of the Department of state policy and regulation in the field of water resources Dmitry Kirillov, in 2012, by decree of the Government Russian Federation, was approved the program for Development of the water sector of the Russian Federation, and work has been launched to create a common data-processing system on water management in Russia. Among the priorities for the period up to 2014 Kirillov mentioned the implementation of water management activities through regional programs throughout the country, system reorganization of water management in the lower river Volga, providing environmentally sustainable use of water resources of the Amur basin, the stabilization of fluvial processes in the border areas of river Amur, Argun, Ussuri, Granite and the Urals, as well as flood relief and protection from the adverse effects of water in the Crimean region of Krasnodar territory. The director of the Department of state policy and regulation in the field of hunting and conservation of hunting resources, Anton Bersenev, said that in order to improve the protection of wildlife and counter poaching, the financial liability for illegal extraction of rare species of animals and hunting resources was significantly increased, specifically, two orders from the Ministry of Natural Resources were adopted. In addition, in 2012 the Hunting Regulation entered into force, this being the basis of regulating of hunting and conservation of game resources on the entire territory of Russia and aimed at the realization of the principle of sustainable use of wildlife. In his summary, S Donskoy acknowledged the hard work in preparing new legislation in the area of environment and mineral resources, and stressed that in 2013 the legal work must be completed and in compliance with all stated terms.
Source: Press Service of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation.

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The energy sector and environmental safety
On February 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting of the Presidential Commission on the strategic development of the fuel and energy sector and environmental safety. Discussed, in particular, were issues of the current state and development of the resource base, including the development of the Russian continental shelf, preparation of the concept of state policy in the field of industrial safety, and energy export. "Because of the archaic system of reserve estimates, said the president, the domestic resource base is underestimated. This directly affects the investment attractiveness of the Russian fuel and energy companies. Our natural assets should have a reasonable, understandable and fair value." In addition, the meeting discussed the results of implementing mechanisms of the payment system in the power sector and measures to ensure the transparency of the fuel and energy sector companies with state participation.
Source: Internet portal of the Russian President.

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The Russian Orthodox Church on environmental issues
The Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) was held in the Christ the Saviour Cathedral from 2 to 5 February 2013. For four days, the participants discussed the situation on the election of the patriarch, the reform of family law and juvenile justice issues, and also current environmental issues.
The meeting under the chairmanship of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill was held in the Church Council Hall of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. The meeting was attended by the President of Russia, V Putin. Photo by the press service of the Russian Orthodox Church

The ROC position, declared by the council, on current environmental issues can be briefly summarized as follows. The original fall into sin resulted in distortion of the primordial nature. The Scripture testifies to this: "The creation was subjected to futility not by its own choice, but by the will of him who subjected it" (Rom. 8:20). Pollution and destruction of nature is a direct consequence of human sin, its visible embodiment. Various manifestations of the sinful attitude toward nature are characteristic of modern "consumer society" for which making profit the main purpose. The only possibility to restore the health of nature is spiritual rebirth of the individual and society, in a true Christian, ascetic relation between man and his own need, curbing passions, and with consistent self-restraint. The main provisions of the position of the Russian Orthodox Church on the conservation of wildlife and the environment are contained in the Basic Social Concept (Section XIII, The Church and environmental problems), and the Doctrine on human dignity, freedom and rights (section III.5). Among them are: 1. Theological interpretation of environmental issues 2. The liturgical life of the Church and ecology 3. Environmental education 4. The Church's involvement in environmental activities 5. Co-working with community, national and international institutions in the environmental field. Under the co-work with the state and society on environmental issues the church is open to: - Participate in forums, conferences and meetings with an environmental focus, to acquaint all interested parties with its understanding of environmental issues and the expertise available to resolve them; - Assess the economic projects of public significance that affect the state of nature and the environment; - Carry out joint projects with the community, national and international institutions; - Actively promote the presence of the Church in social and scientific environmental work at the international, national and regional levels; - Participate in the development, negotiation and implementation of information and educational programs that have an environmental component, as well as laws and other regulations affecting to some extent environmental issues.
Source: Press service of the Russian Orthodox Church

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Regeneration and use of natural resources in Russia
Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation Sergey Donskoy, speaking on February 28 at a meeting of the Russian Government, presented the draft of the state program Reproduction and use of natural resources. The main goals of the state program Reproduction and use of natural resources are the sustainable provision of the economy with mineral resources reserves a nd geological information on subsoil resources; sustainable water use while maintaining aquatic ecosystems and ensuring the safety of the population and economic objects from the adverse impact of water; ensuring the survival, reproduction and rational use of game resources. According to S Donskoy the mineral resources sector is a powerful factor in the development of domestic industry and is the basis for innovative economic development. "By 2020, we should increase the geological knowledge of the country, provide sustainable mineral and raw material supply for industries and Russia's export obligations, and finally, support employment and create more than 300 thousand new jobs. The subprogram Reproduction and use of mineral resources and geological survey , provides a number of decisions required to ensure the sustainable provision of mineral resources and geological information on them," said S Donskoy. To date, a number of issues to be addressed in the field of exploration and use of mineral resources have accumulated: reducing the survey backlog, reduction in the average size of discovered deposits, the slow pace of modernization, the localisation of centres of exploration and mining operations in remote areas with poor infrastructure, etc. "The implementation of the state program provided will fully meet the domestic needs of the Russian economy and ensure a leading position in the world markets of the main consumers of mineral resources," S Donskoy stressed. The total amount of funding for the activities in the subprogramme is over 3 trillion rubles, including 359.3 billion rubles from the federal budget. The Water use sub-programme includes activities, the 317.3 billion rubles from the federal budget. "By 2020, protection of the population and economy from floods provided for. The items in the sub-programme are also as well as preservation and restoration of water bodies living conditions," said S Donskoy. financing of which is 541 billion rubles, including social-economic needs for water resources and and other negative impacts of water should be aimed at improving the reliability of waterworks, to a state, providing environmentally sound

Currently, the water management system as a whole effectively provides for the Russian Federation's current water resource needs. The main development problems of the Russian water management system are the continuing high level of pollutant discharges to surface waters, a significant level of deterioration of hydraulic structures, etc. Some of the problems also involve irrational use of water resources: the water intensity of the gross domestic product of the Russian Federation is about 2.3 cubic meters per 1000 rubles and significantly exceeds that of the economies of countries such as Germany, France, the U.S. and Canada. On the preservation and reproduction of hunting resources the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment plans to spend 17.4 billion rubles until 2020 on the implementation of the relevant sub-programme. The sub-programme on hunting resources is part of the draft of this government program and its aim is the preservation and reproduction of wildlife populations and stabilizing its numbers. At present, according to S Donskoy, the status of populations of most species of game resources is characterized by a substantial gap between the actual number and the estimated biological productivity of wild animals. This is caused by several factors: a high level of poaching, a high number of predators, especially wolves, low quality of the state monitoring of hunting resources and their habitats. 5


In the decentralized system of governance in the field of conservation and reproduction of game resources with transfer of jurisdiction to the level of the subjects of the Russian Federation a number of problems have been identified that need to be resolved in the exercise of delegated powers. Primary among these is the prevailing low level of federal subsidies, which is especially important for the subsidized regions, and the resulting insufficient number of state hunting inspectors in municipal areas," said the head of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia. In the government meeting participated the Chairman of the Public Council under the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Dean of the Faculty of Geographical Sciences of MSU, Academician N Kasimov. According to him, for the successful implementation of the state programme it is necessary to accelerate the preparation of the legal framework for its implementation and to ensure transparency of information, expertise and public control over its implementation at all stages. One of the main conditions for achieving high quality of the program is to attract a wide range of civil society organizations and experts at all stages of its development and execution. A program is a "living organism", it is not a dogma, so all suggestions should be taken into account in the implementation process in the annual and 3-year plans," said N Kasimov.
Source: Press Service of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation.

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New national park in northern Russia
The national park Onega Pomorie has been established in the Arkhangelsk region. It will help to save the valuable natural complexes of the Onega peninsula in conjunction with the traditional way of life of the Pomor villages of the White Sea. The resolution on the establishment of the national park was signed by the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev, February 26, 2013. The area of the new protected territory is 201,668 hectares.
Onega Peninsula is unique in its landscape diversity, surviving indigenous boreal forest with rich flora and fauna and many rare species. This area plays an important role in regulating the climate of the region. High ecological value is combined with a distinctive way of life of the coast-dwellers. In the development of ecological and historical tourism the local population sees the main prospect of the development of their villages. Photo: A Ovchinnikov / WWF Russia

"The need for a national park is due to the massive destruction of unique natural ecosystems on the Onega Peninsula resulting from industrial logging. For centuries, local people in the Pomor villages used the forest, but did it carefully, without damage to the environment. But over the last few decades of industrial development, the peninsula was logged to 60%. The national park will help save from degradation the valuable ecosystems, which harvesters have not reached," said the head of the Arkhangelsk branch of WWF Andrey Shchegolev. This national park is an example of "protracted reserves". Back in the early 90-ies of the previous century, scientists stated that the northern part of the Onega peninsula should become a protected area, and made the relevant eco-economic feasibility study. In 1996, the proposed park was included in the regional program for building a network of protected areas of federal importance in the period up to 2005, approved by the head of the regional administration. Then the park was included in the list, approved by the Government, of Russian Federation reserves and national parks expected to be created 6


up to 2010. By the end of this period, the park slowly moved from one plan into the next, providing for its creation before 2020. The establishment of the national park was implemented in accordance with the concept of development of the system of protected areas of federal significance up to 2020, approved by resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of December 22, 2011 2322-r. With the creation of Onega Pomorie, the number of national parks in Russia has reached 45.
Source: WWF Russia

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State report on the status and protection of the environment in the Russian Federation in 2011
The official website State report on the in 2011. The report used in the EU, and of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Russia has published the state of the environment and on environmental Protection of the Russian Federation has been prepared on the basis of environmental indicators, harmonized with those characterizing the interaction of economic, environmental and social systems.

The negative impact on the environment for the period 2007-2011, according to regular observations at Roshydromet's stations has changed on a number of factors: the average concentrations of nitrogen oxide has decreased by 11%, benzopyrene by 17%, suspended substances, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide by 5-6%, sulphur dioxide and formaldehyde have not changed. However, data on air pollution in the cities in Russia, according to the regular observations in 2011, show that the level of air pollution remains high. According to the results of surveys conducted in 252 Russian cities, 55.1 million people live in towns with high and very high levels of air pollution, representing 53% of the urban population of Russia. According to Roshydromet, in 2011 the cities Zarinsk, Ivanovo, Cheboksary, Rainbow, Yasnaya Polyana were added to the priority list of cities with very high levels of air pollution. Excluded from this list were Azov, Barnaul, Blagoveshchensk, Volgograd, Yekaterinburg, Kurgan, Naberezhnye Chelny, Nizhnekamsk, Rostov-on-Don, Stavropol, Sterlitamak, Tver, Ussuriysk and Chernogorsk. In total, the priority list includes 27 cities with very high levels of air pollution, and the total number of inhabitants in these cities is 16.3 million (2010 - 36 cities, 2009 - 34). The substances defining a very high level of air pollution include benzopyrene, suspended substances, formaldehyde, etc. According to the report, in average for the territory of Russia, the average surface air temperature in 2011 exceeded the norm of 1961-1990 by 1.55 C. These observations confirm the upward trend in annual temperatures for the entire territory of Russia. The regions of most intense warming are the European part of Russia and Eastern Siberia. The amount of precipitation for the whole year on the territory of Russia in 2011 was close to normal. The total number of dangerous weather events in 2011 was 760. Of these 322 events caused significant damage to the economy and life of the population. The most active period of hazards in Russia, as before, is from May to August. Total greenhouse gas emissions in Russia in 2010 amounted to 2201.9 million t CO2, which corresponds to 107.9% of the emissions in 2000 or 65.8% of the emissions in 1990. Compared to the previous year, emissions in 2010 increased by 4.3%. According to the Russian Forestry Agency, the net uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions annually by forests in Russia is over 1880 million tons. 7


According to Roshydromet, in the Russian Federation in 2011, water uptake from natural water bodies was 77 640.85 million m3. The structure of the water consumption is as follows: production needs 60.2%, household needs 15.8%, irrigation 13.2%, agricultural water supply 0.5%, and other needs 10.3%. According to the report, 91.4% of the Russian population was provided with piped water, 8.1% with non-centralized water supply, and the remaining 0.5% of the population with transported water. The report contains information on the volume of emissions, discharges and waste generation as a whole. In 2011, total emissions of pollutants into the air amounted to 32 565 thousand tonnes, including 19 196.9 thousand tonnes from stationary sources and 13 368 thousand tons from mobile ones. The volume of wastewater discharged to surface water in 2011, and amounted to 48 095,56 million m3. At the same time, the d decreased by 1.2% - to 15 966.17 million m3 (33.3% of the total anthropogenic load on water bodies is the inability to provide a amount of wastewater entering the treatment plant because of increased by 0.4% compared to 2010 ischarge of polluted waste water volume). The main reason for the high sufficient cleaning level of the total their lack of capacity or inefficient use.

In 2011, the volume of industrial and household waste generation in Russia was, according to Rosprirodnadzor, 4.3 billion tons, which is 16.2% more than the volume of waste generated in 2010, This significant increase in waste generation compared to previous years is due to the improvement of the situation on providing natural resource users with forms of statistical observations. The largest volume of waste occurs in extraction of subsoil resources - 88.7%, including the fuel and energy sector - 58.7%. The share of processing industries is 6.5% of all waste, including 4.3% for metallurgical processes and the production of finished metal products. The state report is the information basis for the government agencies in planning and implementing environmental conservation measures.
Source: Press Service of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation.

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Annual report on the status and use of forests
The official website of the Ministry of Natural Resources and environment has published the Annual Report on the status and use of forests of the Russian Federation in 2011. Data presented are for January 1, 2012. The report includes information on forest management, use, conservation and protection, reproduction, as well as information on forestries and forest parks. According to the report, the Russian Federation is the world leader in the forest area, with 809,090 thousand hectares, or 20.1% of the total forest area in the world. According to the information of the State Forest Register (GLR), the total area of Russia's land occupied by forests was 1 183.3 million hectares, including an area of forest resources of 1 144.1 million ha. The main purpose of the report is to provide the state authorities of the Russian Federation, public organizations and citizens with objective and systematic information.
Source: Press Service of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation.

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Strategy for sustainable development of the Russian Arctic
On February 20, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the development strategy for the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. The strategy for development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation and providing national security for the period up to 2020 was developed in response to the principles of the state policy of the Russian Federation in the Arctic for the period up to 2020 and beyond, approved by the President of the Russian Federation, September 18, 2008 Pr-1969, and based on the fundamental documents of the system of state strategic planning of the Russian Federation. The strategy defines the basic mechanisms, ways and means to achieve the strategic goals and priorities for the sustainable development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation and the national security. The strategy aims to implement the sovereignty and national interests of the Russian Federation in the Arctic and contributes to the solution of the main tasks of the state policy of the Russian Federation in the Arctic as defined in the Principles. One part of the implementation of the strategy is consolidating the resources and efforts of all stakeholders of the state policy of the Russian Federation in the Arctic (the federal bodies of state power, bodies of state power of subjects of the Russian Federation, whose territory fully or partially is part of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, local authorities and organizations) to address key issues of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation and the national security in the Arctic. The aim of the strategy is the implementation of national interests and also to achieve the main objectives of the national policy of the Russian Federation in the Arctic by solving the basic tasks with the strategic priorities set out in the Principles that provide for the national security and sustainable socio-economic development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. Priority development areas of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation and national security are: a) the complex social and economic development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, b) the development of science and technology, c) the creation of modern information and telecommunication infrastructure, d) environmental safety, e) international cooperation in the Arctic, e) provision of military security and protection of the state border of the Russian Federation in the Arctic. In order to protect the environment and provide environmental security in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation the following is provided for: - Conservation of biological diversity of Arctic flora and fauna under the expansion of economic activities and global climate change, including the development and expansion of network of Arctic protected areas and water areas of federal importance, the development and expansion of Arctic protected areas of regional importance, monitoring of the state of ecosystems and flora; - Eliminating the environmental damage caused by past economic, military and other activities in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, including the assessment of environmental damage caused and the implementation of measures to clean up the Arctic seas and lands from pollution; - Minimizing the negative human impact on the environment of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation due to the current economic and other activities, - Improving the system for state environmental monitoring in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, as well as early detection and prediction of natural and man-made disasters;

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- Development and implementation of economic instruments to encourage reproduction and rational use of mineral and biological resources, energy and resource conservation, utilization of associated gas in oil-producing regions. The full document is available at http://./docs/22846/
Source: Internet portal of the Russian President.

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Meeting of Environment Ministers of the Arctic Council
Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation, Sergei Donskoy, led the Russian delegation at the II meeting of Ministers of the environment of the Arctic Council. The event was held from 5 to 6 February 2013 in JukkasjДrvi (Sweden) within the two-year Swedish Presidency of the Arctic Council. The meeting was attended by representatives of all member countries of the Arctic Council and its working groups: Russia, Canada, USA, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Greenland, and also representatives of the observer countries of the Arctic Council During the meeting, the four working groups of the Arctic Council held sessions: the Working Group to address the pollution of the Arctic (ACAP), the Working Group on the implementation of the Arctic Monitoring and Evaluation (AMAP), the Working Group on the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), and the Working Group on the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME). The meeting participants discussed issues related to the negative impact on nature of short-lived climate pollutants, including black carbon, reducing emissions of these, and also biodiversity conservation issues of the Arctic Zone, use of natural resources in the Arctic, the implementation of ecosystem management measures and other issues. A scientific and policy dialogue took place on the theme Changes in the Arctic - the global effects. Part of the dialogue was a series of presentations on multilateral environmental cooperation in the Arctic, climate change and acidification of ocean waters, the vulnerability of Arctic and the effect of changes in the Arctic region at the global level. S Donskoy gave a presentation on the development of strategies for the conservation of rare and endangered species. The Russian delegation in its capacity as chairman of the Working Group on the conservation of Arctic flora and fauna presented a detailed report and presentation on the measures taken for the conservation of biodiversity in the region, and also on the international efforts in this field. S Donskoy outlined the Russian approaches to the issue of short-lived climate pollutants, with special attention to the need for a deeper study of the problem, and the need for international cooperation in the exchange of experience and technology. The Russian Natural Resources Minister noted the importance of the work carried out in the Arctic Council on the subject of short-lived pollutants. During the event S Donskoy held meetings with colleagues from Denmark, Sweden and Finland, discussing issues of bilateral cooperation in the field of environmental protection, and outlining measures to strengthen cooperation in specific areas and projects.
Source: Press Service of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation.

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RUSSIAN SUSTAINABILITY NewsLETTER, February 2013

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