A program for the environmental development of the region will be developed in Karelia

The government of Karelia held a meeting of the environmental council, which was opened by the head of the republic, Artur Parfenchikov. The council was chaired by the head of the Russian Ecological Society, Rashid Ismailov.

Opening the council meeting, Arthur Parfenchikov noted: according to sociological research in Russia and Karelia, residents are primarily concerned about man-made environmental problems that they face in their areas of residence – pollution of water bodies with industrial and sewage waste, illegal deforestation and unauthorized landfills.

“Many issues on the environmental agenda are being successfully implemented within the framework of the national project “Ecology”: eliminating objects of accumulated harm, introducing a system of separate waste collection, preserving and restoring forests. We are gradually striving towards the set goals of the national project – to increase forest reproduction to 100%, to reduce landfill disposal of solid municipal waste to 50% by 2030 and to increase the sorting of solid municipal waste to 100%, to eliminate all unauthorized landfills on the lands of the region, to improvement of water bodies of the Republic of Karelia,” said Artur Parfenchikov.

The main agenda of the meeting was devoted to the implementation of the presidential national project “Ecology” in Karelia, its tasks and prospects for the region.

One of the important areas of the national project is the elimination of unauthorized landfills. The Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology of Karelia, Yanina Svidskaya, said that in 2023, work on the liquidation and reclamation of large landfills in Belomorsk and Pudozh was completed in Karelia.

Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology of Karelia Yanina Svidskaya. Photo: “Republic”/Oksana Kudryashova

We discussed the results of separate waste collection in Karelia for the year and further plans in this direction. During the year of operation of the first sorting line, more than 2.6 thousand tons of recyclable materials have already been sorted, of which 1046 tons have been sent for processing.

“In the near future, the Karelian environmental operator will open a second line for waste sorting. This will allow more to be sent for sorting and processing, and will reduce disposal at the landfill,” noted Yanina Svidskaya.

The council also discussed a new federal project to improve the health of Russia’s water bodies. In early April, Rosvodresursy supported the proposal of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Karelia to include the clearing of the Neglinka River in the project. The development of project documentation will begin in 2025.

Summing up the results of the first meeting, Rashid Ismailov supported the proposals of the Government of Karelia to include additional water bodies in the new federal project, the purchase of forestry equipment under the Forest Conservation project.

Head of the Russian Ecological Society Rashid Ismailov. Photo: “Republic”/Oksana Kudryashova

“We took the initiative to develop a comprehensive program for the environmental development of the Republic of Karelia, taking into account the tasks of ensuring environmental sovereignty. The document will undergo public discussion. The head of Karelia, Artur Parfenchikov, supported our approach,” noted Rashid Ismailov.

The government of the republic, with the participation of members of the environmental council, will begin developing the document in the near future.