On March 15, 2010, Russian Prime Minister Putin supported the decision to restart of Baikal Pulp-and-Paper Industrial Complex. All critics from environmentalists and greens he called “hysteria and political speculations”.
Two billion people in 80 countries are limited in consumption of fresh water today. According to expert estimations 48 countries with population of tree billion people will meet a deficit of fresh water in the year 2025. That is why it is difficult to overrate a role of the lake Baikal and surrounding territories as a unique natural factory which reproduces strategic reserves of the freshest water. Baikal contains more than 80% of drinking water in Russia and 20% of the World fresh water supply. The lake is under protection of UNESCO.
In the present time, Baikal ecosystem is threatened with immoral and irresponsible business of the corporation Bazovyi Element (Basic Element) and of the company Continental Management..
On January 13, 2010, the Government of the Russian Federation ordered a governmental decree not only giving a permit to Baikal Pulp-and-Paper Industrial Complex to renew its distractive activities, but also to perform these activities utilizing a water management system without outflow. The corporation Bazovyi Element (Basic Element) and the company Continental Management, every day throw down up to 200,000 tons of toxic sewage into Baikal. A process of irreversible changes in qualities of Baikal water has gone on.
European Greens call all responsible political leaders, who respect principles of the international environmental law, to demand the the Government of the Russian Federation to fulfill its international environmental obligations and Russian law including the law on Baikal.
Kristalina Georgieva who is a representative of the World Bank in Russia has established the facts of financial dirtiness of Continental Management. European Greens call all the international bank and business communities, which respect the Equator Principles, to follow the World Bank and to dismiss any joint projects with Bazovyi Element and Continental Management.
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