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Developing Environmental Policy for Amursky Region

Region: Russia, Russian Far East, Siberia
Author: Gennadii Illarionov
Consortium Member: Pacific Environment and Resources Center
Status: Completed - Final Report Budget: $1386 Collected: $1386 Needs: $0
Result: To support the development of environmental policy and precedent for the Amursky Region of the Russian Far East.
Donors: Nathan Cummings Foundation Staff Grant (December 1998); with Virtual Foundation Matching Funds
Comment: This project encourages decentralization of policy making in the field of resource management. Environmental NGOs are providing their expertise to regional environmental officials, in order to protect the forests and the water of this ecologically sensitive region.

Need:
Under the Soviet Union, decisions and laws were centralized -- most everything was decided in Moscow. Now, many decisions affecting the environment and natural resources are being made on a regional level -- equivalent to the level of "states" in the United States. Regions now need to develop their own environmental and resource management laws which will allow them to protect their environment. Until these regional laws are enacted, however, there is nothing to prevent the government from allowing destructive resource management. In Amursky Region of the Russian Far East, talented environmentalists are looking to create precedents of these regional environmental laws. They have gathered together to develop appropriate regional environmental laws that will help them in their efforts to protect the forests and the water of Amursky Region.

Goal:
To develop a series of draft regional environmental and resource management laws for Amursky Region which will then be discussed and voted upon by the Amursky Regional Legislature.

Methods:
Led by Gennadii Illarionov, a former scientist and government employee who now works as an environmental activist, non-governmental organizations in Amursky Region have already developed three proposed laws which are under discussion this year by the Amursky Regional Legislature and Governor. These laws include "About the Use of Natural Resources," "About Creating Regional Information About Natural Resources," and "About a Reserve Fund for Natural Resources." Now they are looking to develop a series of draft environmental and natural resource laws over the next year. These proposed laws will include:

• "The Bases of Ecological Legislation of Amursky Region"
• "About the Protection of Wild Nature in Amursky Region"
• "About the Protection of National Cultures and Traditional Sustenance Systems of Native and Elder Populations of Amursky Region"
• "About Public Participation in Social-Economic Decisions of Amursky Region"
• "About Recreation"

Outcomes:
The specific outcomes of the project will include draft laws for discussion by the Legislature and the Governor as well as increased public awareness about nature protection legislation.

Budget: