Press Release, November 8, 2013

On November 8, 2013, YABLOKO’s Green Russia faction adopted a statement on the destruction of nature in preparing for the Sochi Olympics.

The statements runs that the construction of the Olympic infrastructure and facilities led to destruction nature in the Western Caucasus and violation of the rights of the residents of Sochi. The Russian authorities have yet been neglecting the environmental damage.

On October 30, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak said at the conference Sport and Environment that “we are certain that Russia has fulfilled all its environmental obligations. The positive environmental balance in Sochi will be achieved in the long run by means of activities in protection of environment”. President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach also claimed that construction of the Olympic infrastructure and facilities was accompanied “by unprecedented conservation and sustainable development measures in the field of environmental protection”. In fact, preparations for the Winter Olympics have been accompanied by violation of environmental legislation and negative consequences for the residents of the Western Caucasus have been already manifest.

Here come only some of the facts:

1. Violation of environmental legislation in the construction of Olympic facilities

The Federal Law “On specially protected natural territories” was changed twice in 2006 and 2011 in preparations for the Sochi Olympics. Consequently, construction works in recreational territories of national parks are permitted. This led to construction of numerous palaces under the guise of hotels for the Olympics and cutting of trees which are on the IUCN Red List.

2. Destruction of protected natural reservs of the Western Caucasus

Over 2,000 hectares of land in the Sochi National Park lost their natural value.

3. Pollution of surface waters and a threat to the water supplies in Sochi

As a result of pollution caused by the Olympic construction at the Mzmyta River, nearly all the organisms living in the river died.

See also: YABLOKO picketed the White House against the “Olympic dump” at natural reserve in Sochi

4. The lies about “zero waste”

Despite the officially stated principle of “zero waste”, a large number of unprocessed domestic waste is taken to a dumps in Belorechensk (in the Sochi area) and also to the officially closed dump in Loo (a microdistrict in Sochi). Millions of tons of waste are kept in dumps without any engineering protections. The waste slips down the slopes of Sochi National Park and the territories of the built-up areas.

5. Olympic construction works lead to the loss of the resort potential of Sochi

The number of tourists in 2013 dropped by 40 percent in comparison with 2012. Summer tourism is the main source of profit for Sochi, over 60 percent of residents are engaged in service and trade.

6. Olympic construction works demolishes natural landscapes and activates dangerous geological processes

The construction works lead to activation of landslides and mud flows. These processes will intensify after the Olympics as no prevention measures have been taken.

Unfavourable socio-environmental consequences of such barbarism are inevitable.

Preparation for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics will become a black page of the history of the Olympic movement. No sporting events can justify the damage to the nature of the Western Caucasus.