15.03.2014

Fourth Plenary Session of the Initiative passed March 11, 2014 in St. Petersburg "Vodokanal of St. Petersburg", chaired by the Director of International Cooperation Department Ministry of Russia Nuritdinov Inamova. The meeting was attended by Director General "Vodokanal of St. Petersburg" Felix Karmazin, chairman of the fund "Action Group on the Baltic Sea" Ilkka Herlin (Finland), administration of St. Petersburg and Leningrad region, banks, businesses and environmental organizations, as well Danish Consul General in St. Petersburg Claus Serensen.

The meeting presented new projects : JSC "bios" on the use of animal waste and provide a platform to eliminate "hot spots "HELCOM", which was approved at the jubilee session HELCOM; draft LLC" EkoInvestProekt "for construction of facilities for the processing of municipal solid waste in the Kursk region which can be regarded as a model for replication in subjects Northwestern federal District. Also presented a project of the St. Petersburg Research Centre for Ecological Safety of establishing the Russian Center for monitoring and processing information about the state of the Baltic Sea environment, the implementation of which will open up new opportunities to address environmental problems in the region. Among the new initiatives include projects Finnish company SET Group - "SET Tyrannosaurus - municipal waste - into energy" and "Decision on wastewater treatment for the Republic of Karelia" with a clear practical orientation and a great potential for development and expansion in the Northwestern Federal District.

In his opening remarks, N. Inamov expressed appreciation for their hard work and interest in the permanent members of the Steering Committee and the Initiative partners, and welcomed new members. "Our goal - to avoid turning into a debating society initiatives. Necessary to focus on specific issues and getting practical results of our work. Task of ensuring a favorable environmental situation in the Baltic Sea region have immediate solutions, and we should feel a responsibility to future generations" - N. Inamov. "I am confident that the cooperation in the framework of "St. Petersburg Initiative" that has created a platform that allows us to interact with any political weather" - he added.

F. Karmazinov presented a draft "Vodokanal of St. Petersburg" to reduce the negative impact of a single water system "Ladoga Lake - Lake Onega - Neva River - Gulf of Finland". He noted the unprecedented achievements Water canal in wastewater treatment, expressing at the same time, concern for the entire unified water system of the North-West , which includes Lake Onega, Ladoga, Ilmen, Volkhov river and other water objects. According to the Institute of Limnology, the water quality of Lake Ladoga and Onega tends to worsen, one of the reasons why is the introduction of contaminants into the river flowing during the spring floods. Water utility is actively involved in the development of sewerage schemes several districts of the Leningrad region; future plans also include other subjects Northwestern Federal District". Bringing order to the Baltic begins with rivers " - said F. Karmazinov. On assurance N. Inamov, these plans will be the focus of "St. Petersburg initiative" and in general water utility work in the region of North-West has a special significance for the region.

The meeting discussed priority areas of work in 2014 and the further development of cooperation in the framework of the Initiative. Planned in Moscow International Conference on Environmentally Sound maritime transport - the "green shipping", thematic meetings, focusing on cross-border cooperation in the field of biodiversity conservation, environmental education and the development of tourism, as well as applications such project areas as production and prospects biogas as a fuel of the future .

Report on the Initiative for the past year will be presented at the meeting of the Heads of Government of the Council of Baltic Sea States (CBSS), 3-4 June 2014 in Turku (Finland).

Press service of the Ministry of Nature Russia

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