Month: <span>February 2013</span>

New Promise to Shut Down the Main Polluter of the Lake Baikal

Yesterday and today several sources including Greenpeace Russia and Interfax news agency reported about several high-ranking officials announcing decision to “close Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill  (BPPM) in next several years”.  One of them allegedly was  vice –premier Dvorkovich and another one – the head of VEB-Engineering firm Mr.Shteibe. VEB-Engineering …

RUSHYDRO named in fraud

According to www.upi.com and many other media the Russian Interior Ministry said that as much as $33.2 million in state funds were embezzled from hydropower company RusHydro. The Interior Ministry said RusHydro’s plant developer Gidrostroy hired companies that had little staff or equipment. It was also said to have signed …

Water Convention Goes Global

  On February 6, 2013 UNECE Water Convention became officially open to all UN members. This article summarizes our current knowledge of the Convention’s strong and soft sides and emerging challenges for world-wide river-protection civil movement that may or may not help this Convention work globally towards river ecosystem conservation. …