*[Enwl-eng] [EWNC] Protection of Western Caucasus Property aConcern at 37 WHC UNESCO Session
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*“ENVIRONMENTAL WATCH ON NORTH CAUCASUS”*
*<June 17, 2013>*
*PROTECTION OF WESTERN CAUCASUS PROPERTY A CONCERN AT 37 WHC UNESCO SESSION*
*
*Russian authorities hope ‘to settle the problem of Lagonaki’ in order to
construct a ski resort there, and civil society strives for inclusion
UNESCO World Heritage Site ‘Western Caucasus’ in the List of World Heritage
in Danger*
*
Today, the 37th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee opens in
Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Russian delegation will have to face an unpleasant
discussion about Russian UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In particular, such
Russian sites as Lake Baikal <http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/754>, Virgin
Komi Forests <http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/719>, Golden Mountains of
Altai<http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/768>,
and Western Caucasus <http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/900> are under threat.
The most heated debates are expected to be around Virgin Komi Forests and
Western Caucasus. These World Heritage natural sites became a symbol of
destruction of unique natural complexes, gross violation of national and
international environmental laws sanctioned by Russian authorities.
Western Caucasus, which consists of Caucasus (Kavkazskiy) State Biosphere
Reserve, Natural Park “Bolshoy Tkhach” and three natural heritage of
regional importance, has been attacked by destructive developmental
activities and is threatened by large-scale projects from the very
creation. In particular, two projects pose the greatest threat to the
Heritage - Lunnaya Polyana (resort for Vladimir Putin) and Lagonaki ski
resort.
One of these projects is the construction of the ski resort ‘Lunnaya
Polyana’ for Vladimir Putin <http://ewnc.org/node/687>. In order to cheat
Russian civil society and international community, this resort was masked
as ‘Biosphere scientific center’. Construction was financed by
‘Rosneft<http://www.rosneft.com/>’.
For a ‘scientific center’ construction, they disfigured several hectares of
mountain landscape. Later, they tried to construct a road which led to
massive deforestation of virgin forests on the territory of Western
Caucasus. In 2008, the construction was
stopped<http://www.ewnc.org/node/512>as a result of opposition raised
by environmentalists and positive
intervention by UNESCO experts. The same year, the World Heritage Committee
issued recommendations to Russia, where the Committee recommended not to
use Lunnaya Polyana for recreation purposes but use it for the needs of
World Heritage instead. Russia fully ignored this decision. The resort was
being widen and hundreds of hectares of forests were taken. In order to
conceal this fact, Russia forbid flights over Lunnaya Polyana. Such legal
regime ‘justified’ the refusal to allow UNESCO experts to enter the
territory of Lunnaya Polyana.
The road construction was resumed in 2011. The road was masked as ‘a route
to Caucasian Reserve’s weather station’. Interestingly, for non existent at
that moment weather station, they needed a two-lane asphalted road. At the
beginning of 2013, massive road construction road works began. Such
construction is being conducted in a traditional Russian barbaric way with
landscape destruction and massive destruction of Buxus colchica. These
species are enlisted in the Red Book of Russian Federation which protects
threatened and endangered species.
In addition to Putin’s resort ‘Lunnaya Polyana’, colossal threat to Western
Caucasus is posed by a project of OJSC "Resorts of the North Caucasus"
("CSC") <http://www.ncrc.ru/en>. They are planning to construct a ski
resort on Lagonaki Plateau. ‘CSC’ is at the epicenter of scandals around
embezzlement of governmental funds. Nonetheless, with the support of
federal authorities and authorities of the Republic of Adygea, ‘CSC’ is
planning to construct a large ski resort on Lagonaki Plateau. This will
lead to destruction and degradation of unique natural complexes of Lagonaki
Plateau.
The possibility to construct a ski resort on Lagonaki Plateau will be
lobbied by Russian delegation, which mostly consists of the Ministry of
Natural Resources and Environment staff. The Caucasian State Biosphere
Reserve representative is a part of the Russian delegation as well. This
representative, according to the Reserve, will be contributing to
‘settlement
the problem of possible usage of particular parts of the Lagonaki Plateau
for tourist and recreation
purposes’.<http://kgpbz.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1697&Itemid=1>
*‘The situation around Western Caucasus with continuing massive destruction
of its environment in connection to Lunnaya Polyana resort, road
construction to this resort and in connection to the road construction and
massive forest destruction on the territory of the World Heritage, has been
critical for a while. Irreversible consequences had already taken place
because of non-exclusion the Western Caucasus Site to the List of World
Heritage in Danger. I hope that this time, UNESCO staff will realize that
they can’t trust declarations done by the Russian side. In practice, those
declarations turn out to be a lie. Russia is simply ignoring UNESCO
decisions. Only inclusion the Western Caucasus Site in the List of World
Heritage in Danger will change the situation in a positive way,’* Andrey
Rudomakha, a coordinator of Environmental Watch on North Caucasus,
commented on the issue.
*Dmitry Shevchenko*
*Environmental Watch on North Caucasus*
*Details: **+1 (918)2112455*
* *
* *
*Chronicle of violation of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention by Russian
authorities*
* *
*2008*
On the basis of joint UNESCO and IUCN mission, the UNESCO World Heritage
Committee issued a decision where it recommended Russia, inter alia, to
deny the plan to develop recreational complexes on Lagonaki Plateau, on the
Fisht-Oshtensky mountain ridge, and to search for alternatives to allocate
Olympic village, some of the Olympic objects, as well as related to them
roads and infrastructure allocated on the territory of the Sochi National
Park.
This decision* *32 COM 7B.25 <http://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/1631>
‘helped’
Vladimir Putin to move Olympic objects from borders of Western Caucasus.
*2009 *
The 33rd session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee issued a decision
where it warned Russia that in case of failing to comply with Committee’s
recommendation, Western Caucasus will be included in the List of World
Heritage in Danger.
The Committee pointed out that Russia is not capable to stop illegal forest
destruction within the borders of Western Caucasus, and that there is no
legal regime of protection of the Heritage; its buffer zones and their
management regulations were not identified.
Committee marked that Russia did not provide the Committee with maps of
Olympic and other infrastructure on the territory of the Heritage and the
adjacent to it Sochi National Park.
*2010 *
The 34th session of the Committee alarmed with the threat to Western
Caucasus as a result of planned or ongoing development -- logging, tourist
infrastructure development and road constructions.
Russia was recommended to stop any developmental activities which pose
threat to Western Caucasus.
*2011*
Committee pointed out its concern about infrastructure plans and possible
ski resort construction on Lagonaki Plateau. Committee asked Russia to stop
infrastructure and tourist construction within the territory of the
Heritage. Committee asked to stop logging and restore all damaged forest as
a result of development activities. Committee requested all documents
regarding environmental impact assessment for all projects that might
impact Western Caucasus.
*2012 *
On the 36th session, Committee decided that, in case Russia does not drop
the plan to construct a ski resort on Lagonaki Plateau, Western Caucasus
will be included in the List of World Heritage in Danger.
* *
*Reference*
* *
*A great variety of flora and fauna (endangered, threatened, endemic and
relict) is concentrated within the World Heritage Site ‘Western Caucasus’.
It is one of the last places on Caucasus, where habitat of the most
vulnerable big mammals (Bison, Red deer, Auchors, Chamois, Caucasian
subspecies of brown bear, wolf, and others ) has little changed (in
particular, it is virgin deciduous and coniferous forests).*
*Western Caucasian glaciers are here as well. As a result of climate change
and a large reduction of glaciers and firn snow in the last 20-30 years,
they require gentle attitude *
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
############################################################lf you wish to
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From: "EWNC" <env...@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2013 2:06 AM
Subject: [EWNC] Protection of Western Caucasus Property a Concern at 37 WHC
UNESCO Session
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------- * ENWL * ------------
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-------------------------------------
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*<June 17, 2013>*
*PROTECTION OF WESTERN CAUCASUS PROPERTY A CONCERN AT 37 WHC UNESCO SESSION*
*
*Russian authorities hope ‘to settle the problem of Lagonaki’ in order to
construct a ski resort there, and civil society strives for inclusion
UNESCO World Heritage Site ‘Western Caucasus’ in the List of World Heritage
in Danger*
*
Today, the 37th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee opens in
Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Russian delegation will have to face an unpleasant
discussion about Russian UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In particular, such
Russian sites as Lake Baikal <http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/754>, Virgin
Komi Forests <http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/719>, Golden Mountains of
Altai<http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/768>,
and Western Caucasus <http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/900> are under threat.
The most heated debates are expected to be around Virgin Komi Forests and
Western Caucasus. These World Heritage natural sites became a symbol of
destruction of unique natural complexes, gross violation of national and
international environmental laws sanctioned by Russian authorities.
Western Caucasus, which consists of Caucasus (Kavkazskiy) State Biosphere
Reserve, Natural Park “Bolshoy Tkhach” and three natural heritage of
regional importance, has been attacked by destructive developmental
activities and is threatened by large-scale projects from the very
creation. In particular, two projects pose the greatest threat to the
Heritage - Lunnaya Polyana (resort for Vladimir Putin) and Lagonaki ski
resort.
One of these projects is the construction of the ski resort ‘Lunnaya
Polyana’ for Vladimir Putin <http://ewnc.org/node/687>. In order to cheat
Russian civil society and international community, this resort was masked
as ‘Biosphere scientific center’. Construction was financed by
‘Rosneft<http://www.rosneft.com/>’.
For a ‘scientific center’ construction, they disfigured several hectares of
mountain landscape. Later, they tried to construct a road which led to
massive deforestation of virgin forests on the territory of Western
Caucasus. In 2008, the construction was
stopped<http://www.ewnc.org/node/512>as a result of opposition raised
by environmentalists and positive
intervention by UNESCO experts. The same year, the World Heritage Committee
issued recommendations to Russia, where the Committee recommended not to
use Lunnaya Polyana for recreation purposes but use it for the needs of
World Heritage instead. Russia fully ignored this decision. The resort was
being widen and hundreds of hectares of forests were taken. In order to
conceal this fact, Russia forbid flights over Lunnaya Polyana. Such legal
regime ‘justified’ the refusal to allow UNESCO experts to enter the
territory of Lunnaya Polyana.
The road construction was resumed in 2011. The road was masked as ‘a route
to Caucasian Reserve’s weather station’. Interestingly, for non existent at
that moment weather station, they needed a two-lane asphalted road. At the
beginning of 2013, massive road construction road works began. Such
construction is being conducted in a traditional Russian barbaric way with
landscape destruction and massive destruction of Buxus colchica. These
species are enlisted in the Red Book of Russian Federation which protects
threatened and endangered species.
In addition to Putin’s resort ‘Lunnaya Polyana’, colossal threat to Western
Caucasus is posed by a project of OJSC "Resorts of the North Caucasus"
("CSC") <http://www.ncrc.ru/en>. They are planning to construct a ski
resort on Lagonaki Plateau. ‘CSC’ is at the epicenter of scandals around
embezzlement of governmental funds. Nonetheless, with the support of
federal authorities and authorities of the Republic of Adygea, ‘CSC’ is
planning to construct a large ski resort on Lagonaki Plateau. This will
lead to destruction and degradation of unique natural complexes of Lagonaki
Plateau.
The possibility to construct a ski resort on Lagonaki Plateau will be
lobbied by Russian delegation, which mostly consists of the Ministry of
Natural Resources and Environment staff. The Caucasian State Biosphere
Reserve representative is a part of the Russian delegation as well. This
representative, according to the Reserve, will be contributing to
‘settlement
the problem of possible usage of particular parts of the Lagonaki Plateau
for tourist and recreation
purposes’.<http://kgpbz.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1697&Itemid=1>
*‘The situation around Western Caucasus with continuing massive destruction
of its environment in connection to Lunnaya Polyana resort, road
construction to this resort and in connection to the road construction and
massive forest destruction on the territory of the World Heritage, has been
critical for a while. Irreversible consequences had already taken place
because of non-exclusion the Western Caucasus Site to the List of World
Heritage in Danger. I hope that this time, UNESCO staff will realize that
they can’t trust declarations done by the Russian side. In practice, those
declarations turn out to be a lie. Russia is simply ignoring UNESCO
decisions. Only inclusion the Western Caucasus Site in the List of World
Heritage in Danger will change the situation in a positive way,’* Andrey
Rudomakha, a coordinator of Environmental Watch on North Caucasus,
commented on the issue.
*Dmitry Shevchenko*
*Environmental Watch on North Caucasus*
*Details: **+1 (918)2112455*
* *
* *
*Chronicle of violation of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention by Russian
authorities*
* *
*2008*
On the basis of joint UNESCO and IUCN mission, the UNESCO World Heritage
Committee issued a decision where it recommended Russia, inter alia, to
deny the plan to develop recreational complexes on Lagonaki Plateau, on the
Fisht-Oshtensky mountain ridge, and to search for alternatives to allocate
Olympic village, some of the Olympic objects, as well as related to them
roads and infrastructure allocated on the territory of the Sochi National
Park.
This decision* *32 COM 7B.25 <http://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/1631>
‘helped’
Vladimir Putin to move Olympic objects from borders of Western Caucasus.
*2009 *
The 33rd session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee issued a decision
where it warned Russia that in case of failing to comply with Committee’s
recommendation, Western Caucasus will be included in the List of World
Heritage in Danger.
The Committee pointed out that Russia is not capable to stop illegal forest
destruction within the borders of Western Caucasus, and that there is no
legal regime of protection of the Heritage; its buffer zones and their
management regulations were not identified.
Committee marked that Russia did not provide the Committee with maps of
Olympic and other infrastructure on the territory of the Heritage and the
adjacent to it Sochi National Park.
*2010 *
The 34th session of the Committee alarmed with the threat to Western
Caucasus as a result of planned or ongoing development -- logging, tourist
infrastructure development and road constructions.
Russia was recommended to stop any developmental activities which pose
threat to Western Caucasus.
*2011*
Committee pointed out its concern about infrastructure plans and possible
ski resort construction on Lagonaki Plateau. Committee asked Russia to stop
infrastructure and tourist construction within the territory of the
Heritage. Committee asked to stop logging and restore all damaged forest as
a result of development activities. Committee requested all documents
regarding environmental impact assessment for all projects that might
impact Western Caucasus.
*2012 *
On the 36th session, Committee decided that, in case Russia does not drop
the plan to construct a ski resort on Lagonaki Plateau, Western Caucasus
will be included in the List of World Heritage in Danger.
* *
*Reference*
* *
*A great variety of flora and fauna (endangered, threatened, endemic and
relict) is concentrated within the World Heritage Site ‘Western Caucasus’.
It is one of the last places on Caucasus, where habitat of the most
vulnerable big mammals (Bison, Red deer, Auchors, Chamois, Caucasian
subspecies of brown bear, wolf, and others ) has little changed (in
particular, it is virgin deciduous and coniferous forests).*
*Western Caucasian glaciers are here as well. As a result of climate change
and a large reduction of glaciers and firn snow in the last 20-30 years,
they require gentle attitude *
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
############################################################lf you wish to
unsubscribe from this maillist, send mail to
<ewnc...@ewnc.org>
From: "EWNC" <env...@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2013 2:06 AM
Subject: [EWNC] Protection of Western Caucasus Property a Concern at 37 WHC
UNESCO Session
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------- * ENWL * ------------
Ecological North West Line * St. Petersburg, Russia
Independent Environmental Net Service: http://www.bellona.ru/enwl/
Russian: ENWL(discussions), ENWL-inf(FSU information), ENWL-misc(any topics)
English: ENWL-eng (world information)
en...@lew.spb.org, enwl...@lew.spb.org, en...@lew.spb.org, en...@lew.spb.org
Subscription, Moderator: vf...@lew.spb.org or en...@enw.net.ru
Archive: http://enwl.bellona.ru/pipermail/
and http://groups.google.com/group/enwl/
SEE ALSO: http://www.bellona.org (English)and http://www.bellona.ru
(Russian)
RSS: http://groups.google.ru/group/enwl/feeds?hl=ru
(C) Please refer to exclusive articles of ENWL
-------------------------------------
ONLY if your address is subscribed:
Enwl-eng mailing list
Enwl...@enwl.bellona.ru
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