Press Release, 3.04.2023

Photo by Sergei Kiselyov / Kommersant

The corresponding appeal was adopted at a meeting of the Federal Bureau of the Yabloko party and sent to the deputies of the State Duma of Russia on Friday, 31 March, the last day for submitting comments to the relevant committee, which should examine the bill before the first reading.

Draft Law No. 288302-8 “On Amendments to Article 2 of the Federal Law “On Specially Protected Natural Territories” was introduced in January of this year by Viktor Pinsky, an MP from United Russia.

Pinsky’s amendments expand the basis for reducing the area and even liquidating specially protected nature preservation areas, as well as simplifying for regional authorities the procedure for eliminating specially protected nature preservation areas.

“We are convinced that the bill will actually destroy the protective mechanism of unique territories, allow building up, exploiting or destroying natural monuments under the pretext of “advanced development” or “strategic interests”, and will create a wide space for corruption and criminal machinations,” Yabloko emphasised.

Yabloko also believes that the adoption of the bill will allow representatives of business, state monopolies and regional leaders who may have already violated the law and would like to legitimise their illegal actions, to launch numerous procedures for the liquidation of regional nature preservation areas, which make up 88% of all nature preservation areas in Russia.

The appeal emphasises that the bill contradicts the Russian Environmental Doctrine and the Russian Environmental Security Strategy for the period up to 2025. In addition, the bill impedes the implementation of international conventions and agreements ratified by Russia, in particular the Kunming-Montreal Declaration, according to which the area of nature preservation areas should reach 30% of the land and sea by 2030.

Yabloko is certain that the priority of state policy should be the preservation and enhancement of nature preservation areas, and not the reduction of their protection regime or their elimination: “Preserving the nature of Russia is a top-priority national goal and the main strategic task for the sake of future generations.”