Russia groans under the weight of its rubbish

Russia groans under the weight of its rubbish

Landfill areas in Russia are bigger than some countries and authorities call for more recycling and tougher action against pollution.

With more than 2,000 square km of rubbish and solid waste rotting across Russia, the total area is six times the size of Malta.

Only 30 per cent of Russia’s waste is recycled properly, leading to 80 billion tons being dumped across the country.

The volume increases by 7 billion tons each year, the Federation Council’s first vice-speaker Alexander Torshin said at a national ecological forum, Moskovsky Komsomolets reported.

Vladimir Putin has also warned that the authorities need to act if they want to change the ecological situation in the country.

The Prime Minister said that about 15 per cent of Russian territory is in poor ecological condition, Interfax reported.

“In almost all of the country’s regions air and water pollution remain high,” Putin said at a meeting devoted to improving Russia’s ecology.

Federation Council first vice-speaker Alexander Torshin suggests that in the coming years we will begin mining trash piles for secondary resources (he continues to suggest that this could rival Gas/Oil as a source of resources/wealth)

 

(Via Johnson’s Russia List)

Medvedev sets sights on cleaner public procurement with new Russian laws

Medvedev sets sights on cleaner public procurement with new Russian laws

As three government departments set about drawing up a new Public Procurement Law, President Medvedev reiterated the need for more openness in the procurement system last week, calling for tougher anti-corruption measures.

“I repeat that we need clear, transparent and effective rules in the state procurement system, especially as concerns planning state procurement needs, setting the initial purchase prices for goods and services, and managing and monitoring the way contracts are performed,” he said at a meeting to discuss the execution of presidential instructions.

The Federal Anti-Monopoly Service, the Finance Ministry and Economic Development Ministry are drawing up new legislation that better regulates the state procurement process.

Kickbacks in state procurement programs have been a serious problem in Russia, with Konstantin Chuichenko, head of the presidential oversight administration, estimating last November that they amount to one trillion rubles ($32.5 billion) a year.

(Via Modern Russia)

Russia employs Arctic brigade to defend oil and gas reserves

Russia employs Arctic brigade to defend oil and gas reserves

The move follows a muscular series of comments from the deputy head of Russia’s Border Service Colonel-General Vycheslav Dorokhin who said the Kremlin planned to build up its forces in the region to better patrol its Arctic territorial waters.

The troops will be based in the far northern town of Pechenga on Russia’s Kola Peninsula close to the Norwegian and Finnish borders and will be combat-ready later this year.

Russian military planners said they had studied the way Arctic troops in Norway and Finland operated and had ordered in the necessary winterised clothing and arms for the new brigade which could number up to 8,000 troops.

In particular, he said Russia wanted to step up patrols of the strategically important North East shipping passage.

“Our potential there will be built up. We won’t let anyone feel themselves free (to move about as they please) in the Arctic.”

Russia, the United States, Canada, Denmark and Norway are all locked in a race to grab a slice of the northern wilderness after US researchers predicted that global warming might leave the area ice-free, and therefore more easily navigable and explored, as early as 2030.

Experts say the region potentially contains one fifth of the world’s oil and gas reserves and that the swath of Arctic territory claimed specifically by Russia could be home to oil supplies double the size of Saudi Arabia’s proven reserves.

(Via The Telegraph; by the interesting journalist Andrew Osborn)

Armenia’s retail trade in January rises 1.4% from a year earlier

Armenia’s retail trade in January rises 1.4% from a year earlier

Armenia’s retail trade in 2011 January rose by 1.4% from a year earlier, according to the latest numbers, revealed by the CIS Statistical Committee, which said that the average growth among several former Soviet republics was 2.6%.

According to its figures, in terms of retail growth Armenia came in seventh among CIS countries. 

The highest retail growth of 20.6% was reported by Belarus. Ukraine came in second with 11.7% growth. It was followed by Kazakhstan – 11.1%, Azerbaijan- 8.3%, Tajikistan – 5.8%, Moldova – 4.4%, Russia- – 0.5%. Kyrgyzstan posted a 7.2% decline. No data were available on Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

(Via Arka Armenian News Agency)

Related News Articles on Economics/Resource availability (particularly in Armenia)

Prices of vegetables, potato and fruits see highest rise in the first quarter of 2011

Inflation for vulnerable population in Armenia rises to 20% in quarter one, 2011

Government of Armenia plans to involve additional money for implementation of the program “Available apartments to young families”

National Statistical Service disagrees with allegations of some of local poultry farms

Armenia’s trade with Russia in Jan.-Feb. 2011 surges by 16.7% to $159.5 million

Nagorno-karabakh president visits Martakert region, emphasizes socioeconomic situation improvement

Armenian central bank governor off to Germany to discuss status of implementation of kfw loan programs

Prime Minister Sargsyan discusses tax regime efficiency enhancement issues with World Bank delegation

Foreign investments in Armenian real sector economy in 2010 contract by 41.1%

Armenia’s international investment position grew by 5.85% as of December 31, 2010

Prime Minister Sarkisian visits Pepsi plant in Armenia

Yerevan Joor to lower price of drinking water for Yerevan households to 175 drams per one cubic meter

Projected GDP growth for 2011 quite feasible, MP says

316 tons of aluminum foil produced in Armenia in Jan-Feb 2011

615 kilograms of cheese destroyed in Armenia after governmental inspections

Baikal Airport to Become International Transportation Hub for Southeast Siberia

Baikal Airport to Become International Transportation Hub for Southeast Siberia

Russia will allocate around US$6.8 million in the federal budget for the continuing reconstruction of the Baikal International Airport OJSC in Ulan-Ude, Buryat Republic this year, the local press office announced on Monday.

Plans include building a second runway, enlarging the first runway, improving passenger facilities, and modernizing of the taxi lane.

The reconstruction of the airport is planned to be finished in 2012, when the last tranche of US$11.3 million will be invested.

The whole reconstruction project, implemented within the framework of a federal program of economic and social development of the Far East and Transbaikalia since 2008, is estimated to cost around US$30 million when completed.

After the reconstruction of the runway, the airport will be able to serve any type of aircraft without restrictions on take-off weight. New lighting equipment will also allow the airport to accept aircraft at night time on request of air companies and to operate 24 hours in the future.

(Via Russia Briefing News)