Destruction Of Baikal Is The Environmental Crime Of The Planetary Scale

European Green Party
12th COUNCIL MEETING
Barcelona, 19th-21st March 2010
Adopted resolution

On the 15th of March 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.