In February 2022, the armed forces of the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine, bringing suffering and destruction. This tragedy radically changed the information agenda, shifting the world’s attention away from global environmental and climate issues and their long-term consequences.
Since the spring of 2022, Russia has experienced a “legislative rollback” to serve industrial interests. This has allowed industrial companies to evade responsibility for pollution and the barbaric destruction of nature. Pressure on civil society increased radically, with the banning of major Western and independent Russian media, as well as international environmental NGOs. Many of them were declared “undesirable”. Russians face long prison sentences for cooperating with them. Nevertheless, civil society actors continue their work. In some cases, their activism has been successful.
Russia, with its highly polluting mining, oil, nuclear, and chemical industries that are critically dependent on imported components, has already seen an increase in industrial accidents. The shadow tanker fleet, created to evade sanctions, poses a catastrophic threat to the waters of European countries. The Arctic Ocean is already suffering from the consequences of frequent pipeline ruptures, which by 2022 occurred every hour. In the interests of corrupt officials and the high-ranking hunting lobby, the boundaries of protected areas are being altered. This leads to the destruction of ecosystems, threatens global biodiversity conservation and threatens the survival of rare and endangered wildlife species.
The Russian state ideology denies anthropogenic climate change, exacerbating global environmental problems and hindering international efforts to address them. This denial leads to inaction in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, threatening not only Russian but also global environmental security.
Regardless of Russia’s economic situation and the extent of its isolation, significant problems will remain. The impact on the global climate, transboundary pollution, threats to biodiversity and the increasing risk of major industrial accidents need to be closely monitored.
Despite the Putin regime’s efforts to hide critical information about these processes and disasters, we are already witnessing and reporting signs of a worsening situation.
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WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
by Arthur Bakuriani
Since 2022, it has become significantly more difficult to protect wildlife in Russia. International environmental organisations (including Greenpeace and WWF) and Western charities have been banished or banned. The activity of the high-level hunting lobby has increased: bills on winter hunting of hibernating bears and rare species of animals are being promoted. The authorities are incentivising the harvesting of marine mammals. Russian animal defenders actively and with some success continue to fight for animal rights while in Russia, despite pressure from the authorities and the threat of repression.
WASTE & AIR POLLUTION
by Zakhar Marzhanov
The document notes a sharp increase in air pollution with hazardous substances such as formaldehyde, benzopyrene and lead, which have a serious impact on human health and the environment. Waste production is outpacing GDP growth in Russia and the amount of waste production in China. Air pollution monitoring is deteriorating.
OIL & GAS INDUSTRY
by Vladimir Milov
This analytical review investigates the impact of Western sanctions and the rupture with the West on the Russian oil and gas industry, following the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army in February 2022. It also analyses the serious environmental consequences, such as an increase in the number of oil pipeline ruptures, the transfer of oil by rivers to the Arctic Ocean, and the risks of using a shadow tanker fleet, including non-ice class tankers. Experts estimate that spills of oil and petroleum-based products could reach 10 million barrels by the end of 2023.
The Green Think Tank is a community of experts dedicated to analyzing the current situation in Russia and designing green reforms for the future. We are convinced that environmental transformation is
an economic and political imperative for a more resilient future for Russia and beyond.
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