In the waters of the Northern sea route freight traffic is generated by the development projects of mineral resources with year-round scheme of transportation. The principal environmental load on the tracks of SMP falls on the waters of the Barents sea. The beginning of comprehensive monitoring of the local “hot” ecological points was initiated in the framework of the Council of the Barents Euro-Arctic region (BEAC). Previously, there was prepared a list of 42 environmental “hot spots” in the northwestern Federal district: Arkhangelsk and Murmansk regions, Republic of Karelia, Nenets Autonomous Okrug and the Komi Republic. Given this list today are a significant number of environmental projects with multilateral financing.
Interim results of this work were summarized at the last meeting of environment Ministers of BEAC in February this year, when it was announced the de-listing of several objects. This branch of “”Ilim Group” in Koryazhma (Arkhangelsk region); Arkhangelsk pulp and paper mill and other pulp and paper industry as a source of dioxin pollution in the Arkhangelsk region; water treatment facilities in Petrozavodsk (Republic of Karelia); pulp and paper factory “Mondi Syktyvkar LPK”, sewage treatment (Komi Republic). Thus, of the initial list of excluded 11 “hot spots” completely and 5 partially.
it is Noteworthy that the “greening” of production leads to greater efficiency. For example, in 2017 from the list were excluded hot spot “utilization of waste wood industry in the Komi Republic”, where large amounts of wood waste led to environmental pollution. So they started their disposal and then use as biofuel.
the Development of the bioenergy sector has led to a number of positive results: the creation of new jobs, the emergence of more affordable energy, as well as a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions due to the transition of enterprises from coal and fuel oil for biofuels.
All this became possible including thanks to the efforts of the state. As told the head of Department of regional cooperation, second European Department Ministry of foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Alexey Ivanov, in recent years, the priority activities of the BEAC environment was the elimination of environmental “hot spots” in accordance with new Russian legislation, connected with introduction at the enterprises of best available technologies. And this includes the introduction of a new system of state regulation of environmentally hazardous industries. “A unique and extremely sensitive ecosystem of the Barents region particularly vulnerable to threats, including climate change, which in this region�� occur two times faster than the rest of the world, pollution of air and water basins, biodiversity loss. Such problems often transcend national boundaries, so it is important to deal with them together, and through international cooperation,” – said the expert.
Another international rating of the “Polar index of the Barents region” has become an indicator of the value of its Russian participants focused on the issues of ecology. This annually updated rating in 2019 has increased from 26 to 30 companies: 10 Russian and Norwegian and 10 Swedish, Finnish and joint ventures. The leader of last year’s biggest oil and gas company Equinor (Norway) gave primacy to the Russian Rosneft. Improvement in the rating related to the strengthening of social and environmental indices. In particular, Rosneft has taken the first practical steps to implement the project of creating a coastal base on the site of the company “82 SRZ” for marine projects in Roslyakova, but also pays great importance to reducing the company’s environmental footprint and reduce CO2 emissions. Indicators of the Russian companies has improved significantly, resulting in half of all included in the list of Russian companies is in the top ten.
However, the greening of industrial culture industries and regions have their own problems. As told adviser to the Chairman FITZ “Kola science center of Russian Academy of Sciences”, doctor of technical Sciences, Vladimir Masloboev, today up to 98 percent of the waste in Murmansk region are the waste of the mining complex. Among the consequences of the existing mode of waste management in Murmansk region code of civil procedure, the expert called the destruction of natural landscapes, pollution of surface waters with chemicals and the release into the environment is not inherent hazardous substances. Degradation of the natural environment leads to a decrease in the quality of life of the population, 42 percent of whom live in the territories subject to the influence of the CPC. While legislative mechanisms stimulating the involvement in economic circulation of waste, the mining industry, almost non-existent. “To start such a mechanism is desirable from a status of “technological fields” and the development of economic coercive measures and encourage the development of “technogenic deposits”, – said the expert.
One of the preventive measures of economic stimulation of economic activity to comply with clear environmental rules may be environmental insurance. For the Arctic, and not only that, it can significantly minimize the environmental and legal risks. Thus, as explained by associate Professor of environmental, natural resource and labor law of the Udmurt state University David Baramidze, today there is a fairly contradictory situation. On the one hand, the Institute of environmental insurance actually exists and is used, but on the other hand, the legal regulation is fragmented or, one might say, is virtually absent, despite the fact that the fixing of compulsory ecological insurance is being worked out for a long time. “The most detailed image of the Institute of ecological insurance is regulated by article 18 of the Federal law “About environmental protection”, however, neither this article nor environmental Law, such definitions do not disclose”, – said the expert.
in Addition to the elaboration of this definition is necessary to include insurance in case of industrial accidents caused by anthropogenic impact, but also caused by natural events, and the incorporation of environmental insurance environment in General and not just its individual components, he said. In addition, in the same FZ “On environmental protection” necessary to legislate incentives for entrepreneurial activities in the Arctic the conclusion of contracts of voluntary ecological insurance, including with the creation and financing of special funds or pools on the basis of state-private partnership.
Thus, in the context of infrastructure development of the Northern sea route and the increasing development of natural potential of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation are important mechanisms for the protection of the environment, aimed, firstly, at preventing adverse consequences, or preventive methods of environmental protection, and secondly, on providing opportunities for early reimbursement and the elimination of environmental damage in full.
