The Baikal problem: History and present (the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Government Commission for Baikal)

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the documents on the preservation and sustainable use of natural resources within the Lake Baikal drainage basin. An analysis is made of the results of the environmental activity during the period of planned economy and post-perestroika. In the reform years, Baikal was included on the List of the World Natural Heritage Sites, the Federal Law “On the protection of Lake Baikal” was adopted as well as three federal target programs of the protection of the lake and socioeconomic development of the Baikal natural territory. Due to funding shortages, however, they are hardly implemented. The latest legal acts substantially restrict the rights of local residents to land privatization, the development of the social infrastructure, and to use natural resources. Furthermore, in spite of a large number of federal nature conservation directives, closure of many enterprises and reductions in emissions, the ecological situation on Lake Baikal is not improving. Among the problems is the negative attitude of local residents toward the restriction of their constitutional rights to property and economic activity. In addition, all ecological legislative acts are adopted without any public discussion and funding of environmental protection expenditures is not a priority. An improvement of the ecological situation on Baikal is possible only through a further development of the region’s environmentally safe economy and by raising the living standards of the local population on the principles of sustainable development with due regard for the interests of future generations.